Home/Vocabulary/“How much do I owe you?”
B1How to sayskólka ya vam dólzhen

How to say “How much do I owe you?” in Russian

The polite way to settle up — and до́лжен changes with your own gender.

Quick answer

Ско́лько я вам до́лжен?

skólka ya vam dólzhen — до́лжен agrees with you, вам is the dative

The options

Ско́лько я вам до́лжен?How much do I owe you? — male speaker
Ско́лько я вам должна́?How much do I owe you? — female speaker
Ско́лько с меня́?How much is my share? — common and short
Я переведу́ тебе́.I’ll transfer it to you.
Сда́чи не ну́жно.Keep the change.

до́лжен again

The “owe” use of до́лжен takes a dative person and no infinitive: я вам до́лжен, он мне до́лжен. It agrees with the person who owes: до́лжен, должна́, должны́.

Splitting and transferring

Ско́лько с меня́? is what Russians actually say when a bill is being divided. Then Я переведу́ — I’ll transfer it — because instant bank transfers by phone number are the normal way to settle between friends.

What you hear back

Ничего́ не на́до.You don’t owe me anything.
Пятьсо́т рубле́й.Five hundred roubles.
Переведи́, е́сли удо́бно.Transfer it if that’s easier.
Пото́м отда́шь.You can give it back later.

Typical mistakes

Ско́лько я вас до́лжен?

Ско́лько я вам до́лжен?

The person owed is dative.

Я должна́ — said by a man

Я до́лжен

It agrees with the speaker.

Check yourself

Which is correct?

Dative: вам.

Want it all in one place?

Russian Basics has Cyrillic, the cases and 1,000 words in one PDF — stress marked on every word, exercises with answers.

Get the guide — $19