Happy National Beer Day! Interested in knowing how to order a beer in different languages? How about 11 of them? We’ll show you how!
Beer in different languages
Let’s kick things off with a tip of the hat for today’s guest star: beer.
America’s favorite alcoholic drink,1 beer has undoubtedly earned its own national day. However, odds are beer is also popular and drunk wherever you are on this planet.
And with good reason! Beer has a magical ability to bring people together and may offer, in moderation, several health benefits too!2 And did you know that, in low doses, it could help you become slightly better when speaking a second language?3
So here’s to beer! And, in Fluent Forever fashion, we’ll celebrate its malty goodness by showing you how to order a beer in different languages – 11 of them, to be precise.
So let’s start! First off, here’s how you say beer in other languages:
(Hint: Remember, you can learn more neat words and phrases in these languages by downloading the Fluent Forever app.)
| Language | Word for Beer |
| Spanish | cerveza [θeɾˈbeθa] (Spain) [seɾˈbesa] (Latin America) |
| German | Bier [biːɐ̯] |
| French | bière [bjɛʁ] |
| Italian | birra [ˈbir.ra] |
| Korean | 맥주 (makju) [mɛk̚t͡ɕ͈u] |
| Japanese | ビール (biru) [bʲiːɾɯ̟ᵝ] |
| Russian | Пиво (piva) [ˈpʲivə] |
| Dutch | bier [bir] |
| Hebrew | (bíra) בִּירָה |
| Portuguese | cerveja [seʁˈve.ʒɐ] |
| Mandarin | 啤酒 (pí jiǔ) [(piži͡u] |
Image by motointermedia from Pixabay
How to order a beer in different languages
Alright! Now that we know how to say beer, let’s see how to order one.
1. Spanish
Whether it’s in a tapas bar in Barcelona or in one of Mexico City’s many cantinas, all you need to do to order a beer in Spanish is raise a hand and say Una cerveza, por favor. It means “Can I have a beer, please.”
2. German
The waitress walks towards your table during Oktoberfest and, after taking your friends’ order, she looks at you. All you need to say is für mich bitte ein Bier, or “For me a beer, please.”
If you’re sitting at the bar, you can also say Ich hätte gerne ein Bier, which means “I would like a beer” in German.
3. French
Even though wine is the drink of choice in Paris, the French still love their beer. Une bière s’il vous plaît, meaning “One beer, please,” is how you order a beer in French.
4. Italian
Ordering a beer in Italian is as easy as saying Una birra, per favore, or “One beer, please.” Do you want a stout beer? Add scura, which means “dark”, after birra.
5. Korean
맥주 주세요 (Makju juseyo), or “Please, give me a beer,” is how you order a beer in Korean. Don’t forget to try a somaek, Korea’s famous beer cocktail!
(Hint: Enjoying this article? After you learn how to order a beer in different languages, check out how to say cheers in different languages!)
6. Japanese
Even though sake is Japan’s most well-known liquor, the Japanese still like their beer. To order a beer in Japanese, all you need to do is say ビールください。( Biru kudasai), which means “A beer, please?”
7. Russian
Пиво, пожалуйста (Pivo, pazhalusta), meaning “A beer, please”, is how you order a beer in Russian.
8. Dutch
Officially, to order a beer in Dutch you say Een bier, alsjeblieft, or “A beer, please.” However, the Dutch will often use the diminutive biertje in this phrase.
9. Hebrew
בירה אחת בבקשה (Bira ejar bebakasha), or “One beer, please”, is how you order a beer in Hebrew.
10. Portuguese
If you’re at Carnival in São Paulo and feel a bit parched, locate your street vendor of choice and say Uma cerveja, por favor, or “One beer, please,” to order a beer in Portuguese.
11. Chinese
Last but not least, 请给我一杯啤酒 (Q ǐ ng gěi w ǒ píji ǔ), or “Please give me a beer,” is how you order a beer in Chinese.
Ready to learn more handy words and phrases in your target language? Download the Fluent Forever app now! But don’t stop there! Try our Live Coaching to really boost your journey to fluency.
