Pago el peaje en efectivo en la autopista.

I pay the toll in cash on the highway.

Breakdown of Pago el peaje en efectivo en la autopista.

• yo: I
• en: on
• pagar: to pay
• la autopista: the highway

Questions & Answers about Pago el peaje en efectivo en la autopista.

Why does the sentence start with Pago and not Yo pago?

Spanish often drops the subject pronoun because the verb ending already shows who it is. Pago clearly means I pay.
You can add yo for emphasis or contrast: Yo pago el peaje (e.g., “I’m the one paying, not you”).

What tense is pago—is it “I pay” or “I am paying”?

Pago is the present tense (yo form of pagar). In Spanish, the present can cover both:

• I pay (habitual: “I pay the toll in cash.”)
• I’m paying (right now, depending on context)

If you need to be very explicit about “right now,” Spanish can also use estar + gerundio: Estoy pagando el peaje.

Why is it el peaje and not la peaje?

Peaje is masculine in standard Spanish: el peaje. The noun ends in -e, which doesn’t reliably signal gender, so you learn it with its article.

Does peaje mean the toll booth or the toll fee?

Peaje primarily means the toll (the fee), but it can also refer to the toll system/point depending on context. In this sentence, Pago el peaje is naturally understood as paying the fee.