Pay the bills Meaning in English
expression
ˈpeɪ/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈbɪɫz
PAY thuh BILZ
pˈeɪ/ /ðə, ði/ /bˈɪlz
PAY thuh BILZ
Definition
To give money for household expenses like electricity, water, rent, or phone. It can also mean earning enough money to cover regular living costs.
Usage & Nuances
Mainly used for regular household expenses; often refers to both the literal act of payment and the idea of earning enough to support oneself ('This job barely lets me pay the bills'). Very common in both literal and figurative use. Do not confuse with 'pay the check' (restaurant).
Spanish: pagar las cuentas - pagar las facturasPortuguese (BR): pagar as contas - pagar as faturasPortuguese (PT): pagar as contas - pagar as faturasChinese (Simplified): 付账单 - 付费用Chinese (Traditional): 付帳單 - 付費用Hindi: बिल भरनाArabic: دفع الفواتيرBengali: বিল পরিশোধ করা - খরচ চালানোRussian: оплачивать счета - зарабатывать на жизньJapanese: 請求書を払う - 生活費を稼ぐVietnamese: trả hóa đơn - kiếm đủ sốngKorean: 공과금을 내다 - 생계를 유지하다Turkish: faturaları ödemek - geçimini sağlamakUrdu: بل ادا کرنا - گزر بسر کرناIndonesian: membayar tagihan - memenuhi kebutuhan hidup
Example Sentences
I have to pay the bills every month.
basic
She works to pay the bills.
basic
It’s important to pay the bills on time.
basic
This job barely lets me pay the bills.
natural
He picked up an extra shift just to pay the bills.
natural
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever do more than just pay the bills.
natural