Bebo
/bebo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "I drink" is Bebo.
Bebo is a statement used to say that you consume a liquid.
Which one should you use?
While Bebo is a direct translation for consuming liquids, tomo is a very common alternative used in many Spanish-speaking regions to mean "I drink" or "I have (a drink)".
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject "I" is contained within the verb ending, so the pronoun yo is usually omitted unless you want to add emphasis. To change the phrase to the future tense, the ending changes to beberé. To express a habitual action in the past, use the imperfect form bebía.
How do you pronounce it?
/bebo/
When do people say it?
If you are drinking with others, you might hear the phrase ¡Salud y buen provecho!, which means "Cheers and enjoy!"
Did you know?
- The word tomar is used for 'drinking' because its primary meaning is 'to take' or 'to grab'.
- In some regions, beber is used almost exclusively for alcohol, making Bebo a potential admission of drinking liquor rather than water.
- In Spain, when making a toast, you do not say 'I drink' or 'Cheers', but rather ¡Salud!, which literally translates to 'Health'.
Examples in context
- Bebo el té sin azúcar.I drink tea without sugar.This sentence shows how to use Bebo to talk about tea.Tatoeba #1825019 by Shishir, translation #2747501 by mervert1
- Bebo vino todos los días.I drink wine every day.This sentence shows how to use Bebo to talk about wine.Tatoeba #12766413 by Shishir, translation #4902739 by CK
- ¿Te importa si bebo alcohol?Is it OK if I drink alcohol?This sentence shows how to use Bebo when asking permission regarding alcohol.Tatoeba #1693899 by teskmon, translation #1258666 by CM
- Yo bebo aguaI drink water
- Yo tomo caféI drink coffee
- Yo bebo vinoI drink wine
- Yo bebo cervezaI drink beer
- Yo tomo refrescosI drink sodas
- Yo bebo téI drink tea
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are at a cafe.
- ElenaYo bebo agua mineral, por favor.I drink mineral water, please.
- Javier¿Y tú no quieres un café?And you don't want a coffee?
- ElenaNo, bebo mucha agua hoy.No, I drink a lot of water today.
- JavierEstá bien, Elena.That is fine, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
