Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| beber | /beˈbe(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /beˈbe(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
| tomar | /toˈma(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /toˈma(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
Both verbs describe the consumption of liquid through the mouth. Use beber when you want to emphasize the physical act of drinking or when referring specifically to the consumption of alcohol. When referring to soft drinks or soda, Brazilians commonly use the word refrigerante. If you need to specify that a beverage is alcoholic, use the term bebida alcoólica.
Which one should you use?
While beber is the direct translation for the act of drinking, tomar is very frequently used in a colloquial sense to mean 'to have' a drink or a specific beverage.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun for a drink or beverage is bebida, which is the feminine form derived from the verb beber. Related terms include álcool to refer to alcoholic beverages in general.
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈbe(ʁ)/
When do people say it?
To toast in a Portuguese-speaking country, you can say saúde, which means 'health'. This is the equivalent of saying 'cheers'.
Did you know?
- The verb tomar is used for things you do not actually drink, such as tomar banho for 'to take a shower' or tomar sol for 'to sunbathe'.
- The Portuguese verb beber shares a common ancestor with the English word 'beverage' through the Latin root bibere.
- The Portuguese word refrigerante for soda literally translates to 'refrigerant' or 'something that cools'.
Examples in context
- Eu vou tomar uma.I'll have a drink.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of tomar when ordering a drink.Tatoeba #5376026 by ToinhoAlam, translation #2283877 by CM
- Vou tomar um açaí.I will drink some acai.This sentence shows how to use tomar with a specific food or drink item.Tatoeba #2554314 by alexmarcelo, translation #2857485 by mervert1
- Eu tenho de beber.I have to drink.This sentence demonstrates the use of beber to express a necessity.Tatoeba #2651415 by alexmarcelo, translation #2650960 by ddnktr
- Eu gostaria de beber uma água, por favor.I would like to have a drink of water, please.
- Pode me dar um gole dessa bebida?Can I have a sip of that drink?
- Vamos tomar um chopp gelado no final de semana?Let's have a cold draft beer on the weekend?
- Eu gostaria de um refrigerante de laranja, por favor.I would like an orange soda, please.
- Você tem alguma bebida alcoólica disponível?Do you have any alcoholic beverages available?
- Saúde! Vamos brindar a essa amizade.Cheers! Let's toast to this friendship.
- 353 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Felipe are at a restaurant.
- CamilaO que você quer beber, Felipe?What do you want to drink, Felipe?
- FelipeEu quero beber água gelada.I want to drink cold water.
- CamilaEu também vou beber água.I am going to drink water too.
- FelipeCombinado, vamos pedir agora.Agreed, let's order now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drink” translations and entries beber, tomar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beber, tomar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
