How do you ask for the check at a restaurant in Spanish?

Say '¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?' or simply 'La cuenta, por favor.' Never use cheque in a restaurant context.

Is chequear a real Spanish word?

Chequear is recognized by the RAE as an anglicism meaning to check or verify, and it is common in the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. However, revisar and verificar are preferred in most formal and standard contexts.

How do you say 'checkmark' in Spanish?

Common terms include marca de verificación, palomita (Mexico), visto bueno, or simply tilde in some countries.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Check in Spanish: Cheque, Cuenta & Verificar

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Cheque / Cuenta / Verificar · noun / verb · CHEH-keh / KWEHN-tah / beh-ree-fee-KAHR

Because 'check' carries multiple meanings in English, its Spanish translation changes with context. A bank check is cheque, a restaurant bill is cuenta, the act of verifying is verificar or revisar, and a checkmark symbol is marca de verificación or palomita (in Mexico).

Cheque is pronounced CHEH-keh, with two syllables. Cuenta is KWEHN-tah. The verbs verificar and revisar are stressed on their final syllables: beh-ree-fee-KAHR and reh-bee-SAHR.

¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?

Could you bring us the check, please?

Check in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for check, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
cheque / cuenta / verificar	check	CHEH-keh / KWEHN-tah / beh-ree-fee-KAHR	Default, widely understood
cheque	check		bank check
cuenta	check		restaurant check or bill
revisar	check		to check / to review
marca de verificación	check		checkmark symbol

How Native Speakers Use Cheque / Cuenta / Verificar

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Bank check

El pago se realizó con un cheque certificado.

The payment was made with a certified check.

Cheque is used for the financial instrument, similar to its English banking sense.

Restaurant bill

Cuando terminamos de cenar, pedimos la cuenta.

When we finished dinner, we asked for the check.

In a restaurant, the check or bill is always la cuenta.

To verify

Voy a revisar que todo esté correcto antes de enviarlo.

I'm going to check that everything is correct before sending it.

Revisar and verificar both mean to check or inspect something for accuracy.

Checkmark

Pon una marca de verificación junto a cada tarea completada.

Put a checkmark next to each completed task.

In Mexico, a checkmark is often called palomita; elsewhere, marca de verificación or tilde are common.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cheque / Cuenta / Verificar

Using cheque for a restaurant bill

Incorrect: Mesero, ¿me puede traer el cheque?

Correct: Mesero, ¿me puede traer la cuenta?

At a restaurant, the bill is always la cuenta. Cheque refers specifically to a bank check and would confuse your server.

Using chequear universally for to check

Incorrect: Voy a chequear los datos del informe.

Correct: Voy a revisar los datos del informe.

While chequear exists as an anglicism and is understood in some regions, the standard Spanish verbs are revisar and verificar. Using them sounds more natural in formal contexts.

Lock in Check Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Cheque / Cuenta / Verificar used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cheque / cuenta / verificar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Check in Spanish

How do you ask for the check at a restaurant in Spanish?: Say '¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?' or simply 'La cuenta, por favor.' Never use cheque in a restaurant context.
Is chequear a real Spanish word?: Chequear is recognized by the RAE as an anglicism meaning to check or verify, and it is common in the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. However, revisar and verificar are preferred in most formal and standard contexts.
How do you say 'checkmark' in Spanish?: Common terms include marca de verificación, palomita (Mexico), visto bueno, or simply tilde in some countries.