Question 1

Why is there a que between tiene and pagar?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, to express that someone "has to" do something, you use the verb tener (to have) followed by que, and then an infinitive verb (the basic, unconjugated form of the verb, like pagar). The phrase tener que works as a fixed block that means "to have to".

Question 2

Since we don't know who is paying, why is the verb conjugated as tiene (he/she has)?

Accepted Answer

When asking a question with quién (who), you conjugate the verb in the third-person singular (the he/she form), which is tiene here. This works just like it does in English, where we ask "Who has to pay?" rather than "Who have to pay?".

Question 3

What if I expect that multiple people need to pay the bill? Does quién change?

Accepted Answer

Yes! If you are asking "Who (plural) have to pay?", the word for "who" becomes plural in Spanish: quiénes. You would also change the verb to the "they" form: ¿Quiénes tienen que pagar la cuenta hoy?

Question 4

Is la cuenta the same word I use to ask a waiter for the check at a restaurant?

Accepted Answer

Exactly! When you are at a restaurant or café in Spain and you are ready to pay, you can simply catch the waiter's attention and say, "La cuenta, por favor" (The bill, please).

¿Quién tiene que pagar la cuenta hoy?

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