refresco
/reˈfɾesko/
The Spanish phrase for soda pop is refresco. Wiktionary also lists gaseosa and bebida.
Meaning: sweetened, carbonated beverage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| refresco | /reˈfɾesko/ |
| gaseosa | /ɡaseˈosa/ |
| bebida | /beˈbida/ |
| fresco | /ˈfɾesko/ |
The terms in this group refer to a sweetened, carbonated beverage. While refresco is the most common general term for any soft drink, gaseosa specifically emphasizes the carbonation (gas).
What does it mean word for word?
The word refresco is derived from the verb refrescar, meaning 'to refresh'.
Which one should you use?
Another formal alternative is bebida gaseosa, which translates to 'carbonated drink'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to refer to soda pop as refresco. In Argentina and Uruguay, the term gaseosa is widely used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of refresco is refrescos.
How do you pronounce it?
/reˈfɾesko/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly use the adjective fresco (meaning cool or fresh) as a noun to mean 'soda', but it must be the noun refresco.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word for 'fresh' or 'cool', fresco, shares a common ancestor with the English word 'frisk', which stems from the same Proto-Indo-European root for 'freshness'.
- In some Spanish speaking regions, the general word for 'drink', bebida, is used specifically to refer to alcoholic beverages rather than soft drinks.
- While refresco means 'soda' in Spain, in several Latin American countries the same word describes a non-carbonated fruit water.
Examples in context
- Por favor, ¿me puede traer un refresco de cola?Could you please bring me a cola soda?
- Me gustaría pedir una bebida gaseosa de limón, por favor.I would like to order a lemon soda, please.
- Prefiero un refresco de limón.I prefer a lemon soda.
- ¿Quieres un refresco frío?Do you want a cold soda?
- No hay refresco de naranja en la nevera.There is no orange soda in the fridge.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are at a restaurant.
- AlejandroSofía, ¿quieres un refresco para beber?Sofía, do you want a soda to drink?
- SofíaSí, me gustaría un refresco de cola.Yes, I would like a cola soda.
- AlejandroMuy bien, yo pediré uno también.Very well, I will order one too.
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro.Thank you, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soda pop” translations and entries refresco, gaseosa, bebida, fresco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bebida, fresco, refresco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
