Ordering a drink is often one of the first and most frequent interactions you'll have in a Spanish-speaking country. Whether you're at a café in Mexico City, a restaurant in Buenos Aires, or a friend's house in Colombia, knowing how to ask for what you want to drink is a fundamental skill. This vocabulary list covers the essential words you'll need to order hot and cold drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, with confidence. This list focuses on high-frequency words used throughout Latin America. You'll notice many easy-to-learn cognates, such as 'café', 'té', and 'agua mineral'. We'll also highlight key regional differences you're likely to encounter. For example, while 'jugo' is the standard word for fruit juice in most of Latin America, you'll hear 'zumo' in Spain. Similarly, 'refresco' is common for 'soda' in Mexico, but 'gaseosa' is used in many South American countries. Mastering these basic terms will make your daily interactions much smoother and more enjoyable.
drink, beverage
¿Cuál es tu bebida favorita? — What is your favorite drink?
to drink, to have
Me gusta tomar café por la mañana. — I like to drink coffee in the morning.
to drink
Es importante beber mucha agua durante el día. — It's important to drink a lot of water during the day.
to be thirsty
Tengo mucha sed, necesito algo de beber. — I'm very thirsty, I need something to drink.
Found this useful? Save it for later.
to want
Quiero un vaso de agua, por favor. — I want a glass of water, please.
a glass of...
¿Me das un vaso de leche, por favor? — Can you give me a glass of milk, please?
a bottle of...
Vamos a comprar una botella de vino para la cena. — We are going to buy a bottle of wine for dinner.
with ice
Quiero mi refresco con hielo. — I want my soda with ice.
without ice
Un té frío sin hielo, por favor. — An iced tea without ice, please.
water
El agua es mi bebida preferida. — Water is my preferred drink.
mineral water
Prefiero el agua mineral con gas. — I prefer sparkling mineral water.
juice
En la mañana, tomo un jugo de naranja. (En España se usa 'zumo'). — In the morning, I have an orange juice. (In Spain, 'zumo' is used).
soda, soft drink
En México, es común pedir un refresco con los tacos. — In Mexico, it's common to order a soda with tacos.
soda, soft drink (South America)
En Argentina y Colombia, se dice 'gaseosa' en lugar de 'refresco'. — In Argentina and Colombia, they say 'gaseosa' instead of 'refresco'.
lemonade, limeade
Una limonada bien fría es perfecta para el calor. — A very cold lemonade is perfect for the heat.
milk
Mi hijo toma un vaso de leche antes de dormir. — My son has a glass of milk before sleeping.
coffee
¿Quieres un café? Sí, con un poco de azúcar, por favor. — Do you want a coffee? Yes, with a little sugar, please.
tea
¿Prefieres té verde o té negro? — Do you prefer green tea or black tea?
hot chocolate
En invierno me encanta tomar chocolate caliente. — In winter I love to drink hot chocolate.
beer
Vamos por una cerveza después del trabajo. — Let's go for a beer after work.
wine
¿Te gusta el vino de Chile? — Do you like wine from Chile?
red wine
Este vino tinto es de Argentina. — This red wine is from Argentina.
white wine
El pescado combina muy bien con el vino blanco. — Fish pairs very well with white wine.
rum
El ron de Cuba es muy famoso en todo el mundo. — Rum from Cuba is very famous all over the world.
tequila
El tequila es una bebida tradicional de México. — Tequila is a traditional drink from Mexico.