Breakdown of Здесь можно заплатить карточкой?
здесь
here
можно
one may, it is allowed
заплатить
to pay
карточка
card (bank card, membership card)
Questions & Answers about Здесь можно заплатить карточкой?
Why is there no word for "I" in this sentence, even though the English translation says "Can I"?
The word можно creates an impersonal sentence meaning "is it possible" or "is it allowed". So можно заплатить literally means "is it possible to pay". If you specifically needed to say "Can I pay", you would add the dative pronoun мне, but in general situations like asking a cashier, the impersonal form without a pronoun is much more natural.
Why do we use the perfective verb заплатить here instead of the imperfective платить?
You are asking about completing a single, specific transaction right now. The perfective aspect (заплатить) focuses on the successful result of getting the bill paid. You would use the imperfective (платить) for habitual actions, like saying "I usually pay by card" (Я обычно плачу карточкой).
Why is the word for card changed to карточкой?
It is in the instrumental case. In Russian, when you use an object as a tool or method to perform an action (like paying by means of a card), you put that noun in the instrumental case. You do not need to add a preposition like the English "by" or "with".
Can I say картой instead of карточкой?
Yes, you can absolutely say Здесь можно заплатить картой? The word карточка is a diminutive form of карта. It is extremely common in everyday spoken Russian when referring specifically to a bank card, but both words are perfectly natural to use at a store or restaurant.
Learn Здесь можно заплатить карточкой and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free