What it means
صورتحساب (surat-hesâb) is the word Iranians use for the bill or check you ask for at a restaurant or shop. It is a compound of two Arabic words: صورت (surat), meaning “form” or “statement,” and حساب (hesâb), meaning “account” or “calculation.” Together they form the idea of a written account, which is exactly what a bill is. A close informal synonym you will hear is حساب (hesâb) on its own, as in “let’s settle the account,” though صورتحساب is the standard and slightly more formal term for the printed or written bill.
How to use it
- صورتحساب رو میخوام. (surat-hesâb ro mikhâm.) “I’d like the bill.”
- میتونید صورتحساب رو بیارید؟ (mitunid surat-hesâb ro biârid?) “Could you bring the bill?”
- صورتحساب رو با هم حساب میکنیم. (surat-hesâb ro bâ ham hesâb mikonim.) “We’ll split the bill.”
- صورتحساب اشتباهه. (surat-hesâb eshtebâhe.) “The bill is wrong.”
Cultural note
In Iranian restaurants it is common for guests to compete politely over who gets to pay the bill, a social custom called taarof (تعارف). Insisting that you will pay is expected, and accepting the bill too quickly can be seen as impolite. It is also perfectly normal to ask for the bill only after you have finished tea or fruit, which are often served at the end of a meal as a courtesy from the restaurant.