/peɪ/
Translation
To give money to someone for something you buy or for work they do.
Word origin
From Old French paier, from Latin pacare, meaning to make peace or satisfy.
- Origin
- Old French
- Root
- paier
Grammar
Irregular verb. A full conjugation table for irregular verbs is coming soon. For now, use a reference like Wordreference or RAE.
Examples
.
"Pay" means to give money for the food.
.
"Pays" is the form used with he, she, or it.
.
"Paid" is the past form of "pay".
When you pay, you give money to get something or to thank someone for their work. You pay for food in a shop and pay a person for a job.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(7)Grammar articles
(17)British vs American grammar: have got, gotten, the team are, and the other quiet differences
Discourse markers in English: well, anyway, actually, mind you and by the way
Ellipsis and substitution in English: I think so, neither do I, and the words you are allowed to leave out
Emphasis in English: I do like it, my own, the very, and how to push back
Future in the past: was going to, would, was about to, and the grammar of plans that failed
Future tense in English: will, going to and more explained
Gradable and ungradable adjectives: why very furious sounds wrong, and which intensifier goes where
Irregular verbs in English: the full list by pattern
Modal verbs in English: rules, examples and how to use them
Participle clauses in English: -ing and -ed clauses, and the dangling participle trap
Advanced passive structures in English: the get-passive, it is said that, and passives with two objects
Passive voice in English: rules, examples and when to use it
Phrasal verbs in English: what they are, meanings, rules and examples
Question tags in English: the mirror rule, aren't I, and tags after let's and imperatives
Reporting verbs in English: admit, deny, suggest, promise, and the pattern welded to each one
The subjunctive and the unreal past in English: I suggest he go, if I were you, and it's time we left
Word formation in English: how suffixes build word families and give away the part of speech
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pay: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the English word "pay" (To give money to someone for something you buy or for work they do.): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 5.