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Learning local phrases is a small gesture that goes a long way in fostering cultural appreciation.
From raising a glass to that obligatory pre-flight pint to treating yourself to the range of unbeatable offers on alcohol at Duty Free, it’s no myth that Brits love to drink to their heart’s content while on holiday.
That said, perhaps one of the most important things to learn before visiting another country is how to order your favourite drink in the native language.
With this in mind, the language experts at Preply have revealed the different ways one can speak like a local, when ordering a beverage at their European holiday destination this summer.
Best Tips & Tools to Plan Your Trip
Sylvia Johnson, Head of Methodology at Preply, said: “Language is deeply intertwined with culture. By learning even a few basic words or phrases, you demonstrate an interest in and appreciation for the culture of the people you are interacting with. It can help you gain insights into their customs, traditions, and way of life”.
Italy
From refreshing aperol spritzes to the finest selection of local beer, the beautiful country of Italy certainly knows how to serve up beverages that are guaranteed to impress.
In exchange, you may want to impress the locals by ordering your drink in true Italian style. Check out these useful phrases below:
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Prenderó un piccolo bicchiere di bianco | “Pren-dero un pi-colo bicchi-ere di bianco” | I will have a small glass of white |
| Cosa hai alla spina? | “Cos hai all-as pi-na?” | What do you have on tap? |
| Prenderó uno spritz | “Pren-dero uno spritz ” | I’ll take a spritz |
Greece
For those keen to live out their Mamma Mia fantasy this summer, it may be handy to know some of the ways to ask for your favourite drink at a bar in Greece. These sayings can be a tongue-twister, but practice makes perfect.
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Θα ήθελα έναν καφέ παρακαλώ | “Tha-ithela-enan-kafe parakalo” | I would like a coffee, please |
| ένα ποτήρι λευκό κρασί παρακαλώ | “Ena-potiri-lefko-krasi-parakalo” | A glass of wine, please |
| Μία μπύρα παρακαλώ | “Me-a bee-ra pa-ra-ka-lo” | One beer, please |
Planning a last-minute trip to Greece?
Top Experiences and Tours in Greece:
- See the sights with a tour of Meteora Day Trip by Train from Athens
- Explore history with Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens
- Explore more with a Thessaloniki: Full-Day Bus Trip to Meteora
Where to stay in Greece:
- Find accommodation with Booking.com
- Get a rail pass through Rail Europe
- Find Bus, Train, and Flight tickets with one search through Omio
Spain
The Spanish are very straight to the point when it comes to asking for things – and drinks are certainly no exception. With this in mind, these sayings will get you talking like a local in no time.
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Una caña, por favor | “Una can-ya por-favor” | A small draft beer, please |
| Quiero una copa de vino tinto | “Kiero una copa de vee-no tinto” | I want a glass of red wine |
| Un trago de tequila, por favour | “Un tra-go de tequila por favor” | A shot of tequila, please. |
Croatia
As a nation, Croatia embraces beer and wine as integral parts of its drinking culture – with spirits like rakija also thrown in the mix.
If you want to order a drink in this spectacular country, check out these sayings:
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Mogu li dobiti pivo | “Mo-gu li do-biti pi-vo?” | Can I have a beer? |
| Mogu li naručiti kavu | “Mo-gu li na-ru chi-ti ka-vu” | Can I order a coffee? |
| Možemo li dobiti bocu vina | “Mo-gemo li do-biti bo-tu vi-na” | Can we have a bottle of wine? |
Planning a last-minute trip to Croatia?
Top Experiences and Tours in Croatia:
- See the sights with a tour of Montenegro Full-Day Trip from Dubrovnik
- See nature with Plitvice Lakes and Rastoke, Small Group Tour from Zagreb
- Explore more with From Hvar: Vis Island and Blue Cave Speedboat Tour
Where to stay in Croatia:
- Find accommodation with Booking.com
- Get a rail pass through Rail Europe
- Find Bus, Train, and Flight tickets with one search through Omio
Portugal
From its grand architecture to idyllic beaches, Portugal has certainly lots to offer, and this includes the country’s food and drink selection. Luckily for tourists, it’s easy to order a drink when visiting this country.
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Um café, por favor | “Um cafe por-favor” | One coffee, please |
| Uma cerveja, por favor | “Uma cerve-ja por-favor” | One beer, please |
| Um copo de vinho branco, por favor | “Um copo de vin-ho bran-co por favor” | One glass of white wine, please |
Planning a last-minute trip to Portugal?
Top Experiences and Tours in Portugal:
- See the sights with a tour of Madeira: Skywalk, Porto Moniz Volcanic Pools, and Fanal Tour
- See Lisbon on the Lisbon: Pena Palace, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, & Cascais Daytrip
- Explore more with this tour of Fátima, Nazaré, and Óbidos Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon
Where to stay in Portugal:
- Find accommodation with Booking.com
- Get a rail pass through Rail Europe
- Find Bus, Train, and Flight tickets with one search through Omio
France
When out and about in France, you’ll be pleased to know that ordering a drink at your favourite Instagrammable bar is again nice and simple. You can simply just use the same sentence starter and replace what comes next with your drink of choice.
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Je voudrais une bière s’il vous plaît | “Je vou-dray en bier si-vou-play” | I would like a beer, please |
| Je voudrais un verre de vin rouge s’il vous plaît | “Je vou-dray en ver de van- roug si-vou-play” | I would like a red wine, please |
| Je voudrais un cognac s’il vous plaît | “J vou-dray en cognac si-vou-play” | I would like a brandy, please |
Planning a last-minute trip to France?
Top Experiences and Tours in France:
- See the sights with a tour of Louvre Museum Paris – Exclusive Guided Tour (Reserved Entry Included!)
- See Paris with Eiffel Tower Skip the Line and Small Group Tour with Summit Access by Elevator
- Explore more with Mont Saint-Michel: Entry Ticket to Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey
Where to stay in France:
- Find accommodation with Booking.com
- Get a rail pass through Rail Europe
- Find Bus, Train, and Flight tickets with one search through Omio
Czech Republic
It’s safe to say that there is a booming drinking culture in the Czech Republic, with beer being the national drink. That said, when taking part in a cultural bar crawl down Prague’s Charles River, keep these key phrases in mind:
| Saying | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Pivo prosím | “Pee-vo pro-seem” | A beer, please |
| Sklenku bílého vína prosím | “Sklen-ku bile-ho vina pro-seem” | A glass of white wine, please |
| Panák tequily prosím | “Pa-nak teq-ily pro-seem” | A shot of tequila, please |
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