cervesa
[sərˈbe̞.zə]feminine
The Catalan word for beer is cervesa. Wiktionary also lists birra.
Meaning: alcoholic drink made of malt (noun)
Ways to say it
| Catalan | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cervesa | [sərˈbe̞.zə] (Northern, narrow) [sərˈvə.zə] (Balearic, narrow) |
feminine |
| birra | dialectal, feminine |
The term refers to the alcoholic drink made of malt. You may see the phrase Líquid àmbar used to describe the amber liquid color of the beverage.
Which one should you use?
Cervesa is the standard, neutral term for beer, whereas birra is used in casual social settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Birra is an informal or slang term, similar to saying 'brew' or 'cold one' in English. Additionally, if you are specifically referring to a draft beer or a glass of beer, the colloquial term canya can be used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mallorca, the common term for beer is cervesa.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cervesa is cerveses. Both cervesa and birra are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- While canya literally means 'cane' or 'reed', it is used in Catalonia to refer to a small glass of draft beer because of the shape of the traditional glass.
- The word birra is not native to the Latin roots of Catalan but was borrowed from Italian, reflecting the cultural influence of Mediterranean trade.
- In traditional Catalan social gatherings, asking for una ronda means ordering a round of cerveses for everyone at the table.
Examples in context
- Una llauna de cervesa fa més bon gust després d'un dia de treballar de valent.A can of beer tastes better after a hard day's work.This sentence shows how to use cervesa when discussing the taste of a beer after work.Tatoeba #9733989 by mialiesperantistas, translation #9771970 by helloroto
- Vols una cervesa?Do you want a beer?This sentence shows how to use cervesa when offering a beer to someone.Tatoeba #2797572 by carlosalberto, translation #2011393 by CK
- Serveixi'm una cervesa, sisplau.Pour me a beer, please.
- Vull una canya fresqueta.I want a nice cold beer.
- Porta una cervesa ben freda a la taula.Bring a very cold beer to the table.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jordi and Laia are at a bar.
- JordiQuè vols beure, Laia?What do you want to drink, Laia?
- LaiaVull una cervesa ben freda, si us plau.I want a very cold beer, please.
- JordiJo també en prendré una.I will have one too.
- LaiaPerfecte, anem a fer la comanda.Perfect, let's go order.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beer” translations and entries cervesa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
