1) 作为及物动词，它的直接宾语可以是付出的代价。

• I paid the amount in full.我全额付清了。
• We paid a fortune to have it cleaned.我们付了一大笔钱才把它弄干净。
• They pay my salary directly into the bank.他们将我的薪金直接放进银行。

直接宾语也可以指账单或债务。

• to pay the bill付账
• to pay a debt还债。

收款人作为间接宾语，用 to 引入（或不用 to 而放在直接宾语之前）。

• You must pay the money to me 或 You must pay me the money.你应该把钱付给我。

这样一个双宾语的结构，可以转换成被动语态，直接宾语或间接宾语都可以转换成为主语，但以间接宾语转换的更多。

• They were paid large sums of money to protect his privacy.他们收到大笔的钱，要保护他的隐私。

付出代价得到的东西，用 for 引入。

• How much did you pay for the painting?这幅画你付了多少钱？
• He paid 500 dollars to the dealer for that old car.他买那辆旧车，付给售车商五百美元。

2) 作为及物动词，它的直接宾语也可以是收款人。

• They still haven't paid the builders.建筑商的款他们还没付。
• You'll have to wait until I get paid.你要等到我收到了款。

付出代价得到的东西，也用 for 引入。

• He was handsomely paid for his services.他提供的服务得到了丰厚的报酬。

3) 作为不及物动词，pay 后面加上介词 for，指为购买或换取某事物而付出代价。

• Willie paid for the drinks.威利给饮料付了账。

4) 经过转义，pay 也可以指“因为自己做了不对的事而付出代价或得到报应”(for 的宾语从“换取的东西”转为“所作的不对的事”)。

• She paid dearly for her negligence.她因为疏忽吃了大亏。
• He paid for his mistake with his life.他犯这个错误，把命都送掉了。
• I'll make you pay.我会找你算账的。
• You'll pay for your laziness.你这样懒惰，要吃亏的。

5) to pay somebody back for 指对某人做的某件好事或坏事予以报答或报复。

• I'll pay him back for his trick.对他的鬼把戏，我要给他颜色看看。
• I'll pay you back for you kindness.对于您的一番好意，我定将报答。

6) 以上的词义，主语都是人。但是，主语也可以不是人。此时，pay 转为表示延续状态的第一类动词，基本意义是“足以抵偿”。

• That won't pay even for the food.连吃饭的钱都不够呢。

7) 主语不是人，pay 也是表示延续状态的第一类动词，表示“会带来好处”、“能产生回报”（常常用形式主语 it 引入真正的主语 to inf.）。

• It pays to learn about taxes.了解一下缴税问题，会有好处。
• It pays to be polite to people.对人彬彬有礼是有好处的。
• It would pay her to learn a foreign language.学一门外语，对她会有好处。
• It pays to read the instructions.看一下用法说明书有好处。
• You've got to be able to make your business pay.做生意，就应该做得能生利。
• His part-time job paid him 45 dollars an hour.他的兼职工作，工资每小时四十五美元。