Vocab: Splitting the Bill Politely

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TL;DR 🦄

Learn how to handle 계산 (the bill/payment) and suggest 더치페이 (splitting the bill).

Practice talking about not wanting to be a 부담 (burden) to others.

Master 깔끔하게 (neatly) and 나누다 (to divide) for splitting costs smoothly.

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🎧 Iru Helper Note

Need a refresher on pronunciation? Check out the Korean Helper Widgets for audio support.

Try listening to: 이번엔 제가 계산할게요.

🌈 The Big Picture

Splitting a bill politely is an important social skill in Korea. Whether you offer to handle the 계산 (payment), suggest 더치페이 (going dutch), or want to avoid being a 부담 (burden), knowing how to 나누다 (divide) the cost 깔끔하게 (neatly) makes things easier for everyone. This lesson covers the essential vocabulary for splitting the bill.

🎨 The Core Splitting the Bill Family

1. 계산 — calculation / payment / bill 🧾

Refers to paying or the bill itself. "계산해 주세요" means "Check, please" (at a restaurant).

Note: Compare with 결제하다 (to settle a payment), which is more formal/transactional.

2. 더치페이 — going dutch / splitting the bill 💳

A loanword for splitting costs evenly. "더치페이로 해요" means "Let's go dutch."

Note: Compare with 각자 내다 (each person pays), a more descriptive Korean phrase.

3. 부담 — burden 😟

Refers to a financial or emotional weight. "부담 갖지 마세요" means "Don't feel burdened."

Note: 부담을 갖다 (to feel burdened, active) vs 부담되다 (to be burdensome, passive/automatic).

4. 깔끔하게 — neatly / cleanly 🧹

Describes doing something without loose ends. "깔끔하게 나누다" means "to split neatly/evenly."

Note: Compare with 정확하게 (accurately), which focuses on correctness of numbers rather than tidiness.

5. 나누다 — to divide / share ➗

Describes dividing something, like a bill, among people. "나눠서 내다" means "to pay by dividing."

Note: Polite present contracts — 나누어요 → 나눠요.

🛠️ How They Work in a Sentence

1. 이번엔 제가 계산할게요.

This time, I'll pay the bill.

→ 이번엔 (this time) + 제가 계산할게요 (I'll handle the payment).

2. 더치페이로 하는 게 편할 것 같아요.

I think going dutch would be easier.

→ 더치페이로 하는 게 (going dutch) + 편할 것 같아요 (I think it would be convenient).

3. 부담 갖지 말고 깔끔하게 나눠서 내요.

Don't feel burdened, let's just split it neatly and pay.

→ 부담 갖지 말고 (don't feel burdened) + 깔끔하게 나눠서 내요 (let's split it neatly and pay).

🧩 General Formation Rule

계산 (payment/bill) → 계산하다 (to pay/calculate, dictionary form), 계산해요 (polite present), 계산할게요 (I'll pay — intent)

더치페이 (going dutch) → 더치페이하다 (to go dutch), 더치페이로 하다 (to do it as going dutch), 더치페이해요 (polite present)

부담 (burden) → 부담스럽다 (to feel burdensome, adjective), 부담을 갖다 (to feel burdened), 부담되다 (to be burdensome)

깔끔하다 (to be neat, adjective) → 깔끔하게 (adverb form, modifies a verb), 깔끔한 (attributive)

나누다 (to divide) → 나눠요 (polite present, contraction), 나눴어요 (past), 나누는 (attributive)

📚 Cross-check note

All vocabulary cross-checked against korean.go.kr ✅

🪞 Synonym Alert

계산 vs 결제 — 계산하다 is everyday "to pay/calculate," often used at restaurants ("계산해 주세요"); 결제하다 is more formal, often used for card/digital transactions.

더치페이 vs 각자 내다 — 더치페이 is a casual loanword for "going dutch"; 각자 내다 is a more descriptive Korean phrase meaning "each person pays."

부담 vs 신세 — 부담 refers to a general burden (financial or emotional weight); 신세 refers to a relational debt of gratitude ("신세를 지다" = to be indebted to someone).

깔끔하게 vs 정확하게 — 깔끔하게 emphasizes a tidy, no-loose-ends manner; 정확하게 emphasizes numerical accuracy/correctness.

나누다 vs 분담하다 — 나누다 is general "to divide/share"; 분담하다 is more formal, often used for dividing responsibilities or costs.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

❌ 계산하다 thought to mean only "do math" → ✅ At a restaurant, "계산해 주세요" means "Check, please" — 계산하다 also means "to pay."

❌ 더치페이를 해요 sounds awkward to some learners → ✅ Both "더치페이해요" and "더치페이를 해요" are natural — 더치페이하다 functions as a verb.

❌ 부담돼요 vs 부담 가져요 used interchangeably without nuance → ✅ 부담되다 (it feels burdensome, automatic) vs 부담을 갖다 (to actively feel burdened) — slightly different focus.

❌ 정확하게 나눠요 (when emphasizing tidiness, not numbers) → ✅ 깔끔하게 나눠요 better conveys "split neatly/cleanly without awkwardness."

❌ 나누어요 (uncontracted, sounds stiff in casual speech) → ✅ 나눠요 is the natural contracted form in everyday conversation.

Next time the bill comes, you'll know exactly what to say — 깔끔하게 나눠서 더 즐거운 시간 되세요! 🧾

Try this exercise

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the Vocabulary Box. Use each word at least once.

이번엔 제가 ＿＿＿＿할게요.

＿＿＿＿로 하는 게 편할 것 같아요.

＿＿＿＿ 갖지 마세요.

＿＿＿＿ 나눠서 냈어요.

식사 비용을 ＿＿＿＿서 냈어요.

＿＿＿＿해 주세요. (식당에서)

너무 ＿＿＿＿스러우니까 제가 낼게요.

친구들과 ＿＿＿＿로 카페에 갔어요.

영수증을 보고 ＿＿＿＿하게 ＿＿＿＿어요.

비용을 똑같이 ＿＿＿＿는 게 좋겠어요.

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Vocabulary Box

계산 · 더치페이 · 부담 · 깔끔하게 · 나누다

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Pitfalls Reminder

계산하다 = to pay (not just "to calculate")

더치페이하다 = natural verb form

부담되다 (passive) vs 부담을 갖다 (active)

깔끔하게 (tidy) vs 정확하게 (accurate)

나눠요, not 나누어요 (contraction)

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Want more reps? Visit the Practice Hub below for 50 more questions! 🚀

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Practice Hub: Splitting the Bill Politely 🧾

Ready for more practice? Work through these 5 exercises (50 questions total) to fully master this lesson's vocabulary. Listen along with the Korean Helper Widgets for pronunciation support!

Exercise 1 — Splitting the Bill Word Recall 🧾

A. What does 계산 mean?

B. What does 더치페이 mean?

C. What does 부담 mean?

D. What does 깔끔하게 mean?

E. What does 나누다 mean?

F. How do you say "Check, please" at a restaurant?

G. What is the difference between 계산하다 and 결제하다?

H. What is the difference between 더치페이 and 각자 내다?

I. What is the difference between 부담되다 and 부담을 갖다?

J. What is the polite present (contracted) form of 나누다?

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Reference

계산 = calculation/payment/bill

더치페이 = going dutch/splitting the bill

부담 = burden

깔끔하게 = neatly/cleanly

나누다 = to divide/share

계산해 주세요.

계산하다 = pay (everyday); 결제하다 = settle payment (formal/transactional)

더치페이 = casual loanword; 각자 내다 = "each person pays" (descriptive)

부담되다 = it feels burdensome (passive); 부담을 갖다 = to actively feel burdened

나눠요

Exercise 2 — Splitting the Bill Situational Phrases 💳

A. How do you say "I'll pay this time"?

B. How do you say "Let's go dutch"?

C. How do you say "Don't feel burdened"?

D. How do you say "We split it neatly and paid"?

E. How do you say "Check, please"?

F. How do you say "Let's split the cost equally"?

G. How do you say "I'll pay because it's too much of a burden for you"?

H. How do you say "We went to the cafe and split the bill"?

I. How do you say "Let's check the receipt and divide it neatly"?

J. How do you say "Each person paid their share"?

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Reference

이번엔 제가 계산할게요.

더치페이로 해요.

부담 갖지 마세요.

깔끔하게 나눠서 냈어요.

계산해 주세요.

비용을 똑같이 나눠요.

부담스러우니까 제가 낼게요.

카페에 가서 더치페이했어요.

영수증을 보고 깔끔하게 나눠요.

각자 자기 몫을 냈어요.

Exercise 3 — 계산하다 & 나누다 Conjugation Practice 🔁

A. Conjugate 계산하다 into polite present tense.

B. Conjugate 계산하다 into "I'll do it" intent form.

C. Conjugate 나누다 into polite present tense (contracted).

D. Conjugate 나누다 into past tense.

E. Fill in: 제가 ＿＿＿＿. (계산하다, intent — "I'll pay")

F. Fill in: 비용을 셋이서 ＿＿＿＿. (나누다, past)

G. Translate: "Could you calculate the total?"

H. Translate: "We divided the cost into four parts."

I. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 비용은 1인당 만 원이에요. (나누다, attributive — "the divided cost")

J. Translate: "I already paid the bill."

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Reference

계산해요

계산할게요

나눠요

나눴어요

계산할게요.

비용을 셋이서 나눴어요.

총액을 계산해 주실 수 있어요?

비용을 네 개로 나눴어요.

나눈 비용은 1인당 만 원이에요.

이미 계산했어요.

Exercise 4 — 부담 & 깔끔하게 Practice ⚖️

A. Translate: "It feels burdensome."

B. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 갖지 말고 편하게 말해요.

C. Translate: "He's a tidy/neat person."

D. Translate: "Let's split it neatly so no one feels burdened."

E. Fill in: 너무 ＿＿＿＿스러워서 거절했어요.

F. Translate: "Please pay neatly without leaving anyone out."

G. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 정리하면 나중에 편해요.

H. Translate: "I don't want to be a burden to you."

I. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿가 안 되게 미리 말해 주세요.

J. Translate: "We split the bill neatly, so there were no awkward feelings."

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Reference

부담돼요.

부담

그 사람은 깔끔한 사람이에요.

부담 없이 깔끔하게 나눠요.

부담

깔끔하게 빠짐없이 계산해 주세요.

깔끔하게

부담 주고 싶지 않아요.

부담

깔끔하게 나눠서 어색한 게 없었어요.

Exercise 5 — 종합 연습 (Mixed Mastery) 🎯

A. Translate: "Let's go dutch and split the bill neatly."

B. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿로 하고 ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿요.

C. Translate: "Don't feel burdened — I'll handle the bill this time."

D. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 갖지 마세요, 이번 ＿＿＿＿은 제가 ＿＿＿＿게요.

E. Translate: "We checked the receipt and split the cost neatly so no one felt burdened."

F. Fill in: 영수증을 ＿＿＿＿하고 ＿＿＿＿ 나눠서 아무도 ＿＿＿＿ 안 느꼈어요.

G. Translate: "Since it's a lot, let's go dutch instead of one person paying the whole bill."

H. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 많으니까 한 사람이 다 ＿＿＿＿하지 말고 ＿＿＿＿로 해요.

I. Translate: "I divided the bill neatly so it wouldn't be a burden to anyone."

J. Write one full sentence using at least three of this lesson's words.

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Reference

더치페이로 하고 깔끔하게 나눠요.

더치페이 / 깔끔하게 / 나눠

부담 갖지 마세요, 이번 계산은 제가 할게요.

부담 / 계산 / 할

영수증을 계산하고 깔끔하게 나눠서 아무도 부담을 안 느꼈어요.

계산 / 깔끔하게 / 부담

많으니까 한 사람이 다 계산하지 말고 더치페이로 해요.

많이 / 계산 / 더치페이

아무에게도 부담이 안 되게 깔끔하게 나눴어요.

Example: 더치페이로 깔끔하게 나누면 부담 없이 계산할 수 있어요.

다음 모임에서도 깔끔하게 잘 나눠 보세요! 🧾✨