1 A2 neutral
To give money in exchange for something bought or a service received
"Can I pay for this with a card, or do you only accept cash?"
inseparable
pay for
A2 neutral inseparable transitive
To give money in exchange for goods or services, or to suffer the consequences of your actions
In plain English
To give money for something you buy, or to suffer because of something bad you did
What does "pay for" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To bear the cost of something on behalf of someone else
"Their company pays for all business travel and accommodation."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To suffer a punishment or unpleasant consequence as a result of something wrong you did
"If you keep ignoring your health, you'll pay for it later in life."
inseparable
Usage tip
The payment sense is among the first expressions learners encounter at A2. The 'suffer consequences' sense ('you'll pay for this') is more B1 and has a threatening or warning tone.
Words that pair with "pay for"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
meal ticket consequences mistake treatment education damages
How to conjugate "pay for"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pay for
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pays for
he/she/it
Past simple
paid for
yesterday
Past participle
paid for
have + pp
-ing form
paying for
continuous
Hear "pay for" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pay for" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "pay for"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
cover finance foot the bill for purchase settle up for suffer consequences of
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.