When to use it
Use it before paying. In Germany some places still take only cash, others only cards.
The sentence in English (“Can I pay in cash or only by card?”)
"Can I pay in cash or only by card?" uses "in" for cash and "by" for card.
- Can
- auxiliary verbcan · tense: present · modal verb of ability or permission; it opens the question
- I
- pronounpersonal pronoun, always written with a capital letter
- pay
- verbpay · form: base form (infinitive without "to") · main verb after "can"
- in
- prepositionpreposition
- cash
- noununcountable noun; money in notes and coins
- or
- coordinating conjunctioncoordinating conjunction
- only
- adverbadverb
- by
- prepositionpreposition
- card
- nounnoun; a bank card
The sentence in German (“Kann ich bar bezahlen oder nur mit Karte?”)
"Kann ich bar bezahlen oder nur mit Karte?" uses the single word "bar" for cash and "mit Karte" (with card).
- Kann
- auxiliary verbkönnen · tense: present · mood: indicative · person: first · number: singular · "can"
- ich
- pronoun"I"
- bar
- adverb"in cash"
- bezahlen
- verbbezahlen · form: infinitive · "to pay"
- oder
- coordinating conjunction"or"
- nur
- adverb"only"
- mit
- preposition"with"; "mit Karte" = "by card"
- Karte
- nounfeminine noun: "card"
What changes from one language to the other (English × German)
English needs "in cash"; German says just "bar". English pays "by" card; German pays "mit" (with) card.
Example conversation
— Kann ich bar bezahlen oder nur mit Karte?
— Can I pay in cash or only by card?
— Beides ist möglich.
— Both are possible.