El precio incluye propina.

The price includes the tip.

Breakdown of El precio incluye propina.

• el precio: the price
• la propina: the tip
• incluir: to include

Questions & Answers about El precio incluye propina.

Why is it el precio and not la precio?

Because precio is a masculine noun in Spanish, so it takes the masculine definite article el. Gender in Spanish is grammatical, not always logical, and must be learned with each noun: el precio (the price), la propina (the tip).

What verb form is incluye, and why does it have a y?

Incluye is the third-person singular present indicative of incluir (to include): it literally means “includes.” Verbs ending in -uir (not -guir) insert a y before endings in all forms except nosotros and vosotros:

• yo incluyo
• tú incluyes
• él/ella/usted incluye
• nosotros incluimos
• vosotros incluís
• ellos/ustedes incluyen

Do I need the article before propina? Why not la propina?

Both are possible:

• El precio incluye propina: common in lists/ads to state what’s included, like “includes breakfast.”
• El precio incluye la propina: equally correct; it sounds a bit more specific, as in “the (expected) tip for this service is included.”

There’s no change in overall meaning; it’s a stylistic/register choice.

Could I say El precio incluye el propina?

No. Propina is feminine, so if you use the article it must be la propina.

Is this sentence common in Spain?

You’ll understand it anywhere, but culturally in Spain tipping is modest and usually voluntary. It’s unusual for a bill to include a tip. You’re more likely to see:

• Servicio incluido (service charge included), or
• Propina voluntaria (tip optional). On tours/cruises/packages, you might see propina incluida/propinas incluidas.

What’s an equivalent way to say this with “included” as an adjective?

• La propina está incluida en el precio. Here incluida agrees in gender/number with propina (feminine singular). Other examples:
• IVA incluido (VAT included; masculine because IVA is treated as masculine)
• Bebidas incluidas (drinks included; feminine plural)

Why does it have to be incluida (with -a) after propina?

When you use the past participle as an adjective (with estar or on signs), it must agree with the noun:

• propina incluida (feminine singular)
• propinas incluidas (feminine plural)
• servicio incluido (masculine singular)

Can I use the plural propinas?

Yes, when you’re talking about multiple tips or a general set of gratuities (common in package tours):

• Las propinas están incluidas.
  On a single restaurant bill, singular la propina is more usual.

Why not say incluye de propina?

Because incluir takes a direct object without a preposition. You include something directly: incluir propina, incluir desayuno, incluir servicio. No de is needed.

Can I drop the initial article and say Precio incluye propina?

In full sentences, include the article: El precio incluye...
On signs, headlines, or bullet points, omitting articles is common: Precio con propina incluida, Incluye propina. That’s a formatting choice, not standard sentence grammar.

How do I say “to leave a tip” in Spain?

• Most common: dejar propina (to leave a tip)
• Also used: dar propina (to give a tip)
  Examples: ¿Sueles dejar propina? / Dejamos una propina.

What’s the difference between propina and servicio?

• Propina = tip/gratuity, usually voluntary in Spain.
• Servicio (or cargo por servicio) = service charge; if it appears, it’s part of the bill and not voluntary. Signs often say servicio incluido.
  So El precio incluye propina means the tip is covered; El precio incluye servicio means a service charge is included.

Are there useful synonyms for precio in Spain?

Yes, depending on context:

• coste (Spain’s usual word for “cost”)
• tarifa (rate, fare)
• importe (amount on a receipt)
  Note: costo is more Latin American; in Spain coste is preferred.

How is this pronounced in Spain versus Latin America?

• precio: Spain: “PRE-thyo”; Latin America: “PRE-see-oh”
• incluye: “in-KLOO-yeh” (the y is a “y” sound; in some regions it’s a soft “zh/j”)
• propina: “pro-PEE-na” (the single r is a quick tap)

What’s a very common related phrase I’ll see in Spain?

El precio incluye IVA.
IVA = Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (VAT). You’ll also see the adjective version: IVA incluido.