Drinks and Beverages in Spanish: A1 Vocabulary Guide
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Key Takeaways
- Learn the Spanish names for all common drinks and beverages
- Master ordering drinks in cafes, bars, and restaurants
- Understand cultural drinking habits in Spanish-speaking countries
- Practice phrases for offering, accepting, and refusing drinks
Quench Your Thirst with Spanish Vocabulary
After learning about food and meals, let’s explore the world of beverages! Drinks are an essential part of daily life and social interactions. This vocabulary will help you order confidently in any Spanish-speaking country.
Hot Beverages (Bebidas Calientes)
Warm drinks for any time of day.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | el café | Tomo café por la mañana. (I drink coffee in the morning.) |
| Tea | el té | El té verde es saludable. (Green tea is healthy.) |
| Hot chocolate | el chocolate caliente | El chocolate caliente es dulce. (Hot chocolate is sweet.) |
| Milk | la leche | La leche calienta con miel. (Warm milk with honey.) |
| Herbal tea | la infusión | Una infusión de manzanilla, por favor. (A chamomile tea, please.) |
☕ Cultural Tip: In Spain, coffee is a big part of daily life. Common orders include “café con leche” (coffee with milk), “cortado” (espresso with a little milk), and “solo” (black coffee).
Cold Beverages (Bebidas Frías)
Refreshments for warm days and meals.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Water | el agua | El agua es esencial para la vida. (Water is essential for life.) |
| Juice | el jugo / el zumo | El jugo de naranja es natural. (The orange juice is natural.) |
| Soda | el refresco / la gaseosa | Un refresco de cola, por favor. (A cola soda, please.) |
| Iced tea | el té helado | El té helado es refrescante. (Iced tea is refreshing.) |
| Smoothie | el batido | Un batido de fresa, por favor. (A strawberry smoothie, please.) |
| Lemonade | la limonada | La limonada casera es mejor. (Homemade lemonade is better.) |
Alcoholic Beverages (Bebidas Alcohólicas)
Common alcoholic drinks you might encounter.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | la cerveza | La cerveza está fría. (The beer is cold.) |
| Wine | el vino | El vino tinto es español. (The red wine is Spanish.) |
| Sangria | la sangría | La sangría tiene fruta. (Sangria has fruit.) |
| Cava | el cava | El cava es para celebraciones. (Cava is for celebrations.) |
| Cocktail | el cóctel | El cóctel es colorido. (The cocktail is colorful.) |
🍷 Cultural Note: Drinking customs vary widely. In Spain, wine with meals is common, and “cañas” (small beers) are popular in bars. The legal drinking age is 18 in most Spanish-speaking countries.
Water and Special Orders
Important specifics about ordering water and special requests.
Types of Water:
- Agua del grifo – Tap water
- Agua mineral – Mineral water
- Agua con gas – Sparkling water
- Agua sin gas – Still water
Useful Modifiers:
- Con hielo – With ice
- Sin hielo – Without ice
- Fría – Cold (feminine)
- Caliente – Hot
- Natural – At room temperature
Useful Phrases for Ordering Drinks
Essential expressions for bars, cafes, and restaurants.
Basic Ordering:
- “Quisiera un/a…” (I would like a…)
- “Para mí…” (For me…)
- “Póngame…” (Give me… – informal)
- “Tráigame…” (Bring me… – formal)
Asking Questions:
- “¿Qué bebidas tienen?” (What drinks do you have?)
- “¿Tienen…?” (Do you have…?)
- “¿Qué recomienda?” (What do you recommend?)
- “¿Está incluido?” (Is it included?)
Social Situations:
- “¿Quieres tomar algo?” (Do you want to drink something?)
- “¡Salud!” (Cheers!)
- “Brindemos por…” (Let’s toast to…)
- “No bebo alcohol.” (I don’t drink alcohol.)
Putting It All Together: Cafe Dialogue
Customer: “Buenos días, ¿me pone un café con leche y un agua mineral?”
Barista: “Claro. ¿Algo más?”
Customer: “Sí, para mi amiga, un té verde y un zumo de naranja natural.”
Barista: “¿El zumo con hielo?”
Customer: “Sin hielo, por favor. Y para llevar.”
Barista: “Perfecto. Son ocho euros.”
Translation:
Customer: “Good morning, can I have a coffee with milk and a mineral water?”
Barista: “Of course. Anything else?”
Customer: “Yes, for my friend, a green tea and a fresh orange juice.”
Barista: “The juice with ice?”
Customer: “Without ice, please. And to go.”
Barista: “Perfect. That’s eight euros.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Gender Confusion: “La cerveza” (feminine) vs “el vino” (masculine)
- “Beber” vs “Tomar”: Both mean “to drink,” but “tomar” is more common in casual speech
- Water Ordering: “Agua” is feminine but uses “el” – say “el agua fría”
- Regional Variations: “El jugo” (Latin America) vs “el zumo” (Spain) for juice
- Temperature: Use “frío/fría” for cold drinks, not “fresco” (which means fresh/cool)
Quick Reference Chart
| Category | Spanish Words |
|---|---|
| Hot Drinks | café, té, chocolate caliente |
| Cold Drinks | agua, jugo/zumo, refresco, batido |
| Alcoholic | cerveza, vino, sangría |
| Useful Verbs | beber, tomar, querer, preferir |
| Modifiers | con hielo, sin hielo, frío, caliente |
Practice Exercise: Create Your Drink Order
Imagine you’re at a Spanish cafe. Write your ideal drink order including:
- One hot drink
- One cold drink
- Any special requests (with/without ice, etc.)
Example: “Quisiera un café cortado y un agua mineral sin gas. Sin hielo, por favor.”
Ready to Practice?
Think you can order your favorite drinks in Spanish? Test your beverage vocabulary!
Take our Drinks & Beverages Quiz ► to make this vocabulary stick.
What’s Next in Your A1 Spanish Journey?
◄ Food & Meals | At the Restaurant (Ordering Food) ►
