Pay

[vexoss]

pay and pay for
which one is correct?

Where will I pay the books? or
Where will I pay for the books?

Thanks...

[Anglika]

Where will I pay the books? = I must pay this money to the books
Where will I pay for the books? =I must pay this money in order to buy the books.

..

[Offroad]

I can't see any difference between them. Could you elaborate on it?

Thanks

[engee30]

I can't see any difference between them. Could you elaborate on it?

Thanks

You can't see any difference, and I fail to understand the meaning of the first sentence. If it was the bills, then the meaning is absolutely clear to. So, what does the books mean then?

[Anglika]

I can't see any difference between them. Could you elaborate on it?

Thanks

If you pay someone, then you pay the money to that someone. In the 1st sentence, "books" stands in the place of the person to whom money is paid. As engee say, you can "pay the bills", but otherwise you will be paying for [the purchase of] something.

[daemon99]

I will pay for John.

Does this mean I will pay on his behalf?

[Offroad]

I will pay for John.

Does this mean I will pay on his behalf?

I guess it does.

Let me do this FOR you.
Let me pay it FOR you.

However, if John is a slave, then... someone, say Mr X (there's a special name for such people, I can't remember now) is in charge of selling the slaves etc.

Then you pay TO Mr X FOR a slave named John.

I guess it could be also possible.

[vexoss]

Then should we say,

I will pay for the books.

I will pay John for the books.

I will pay the bill.

[Soup]

Hi vexoss

• I will pay for the books.
• I will pay John for the books.
• I will pay the bill.

[Offroad]

what of "I am going to pay the books" ?