vino por copa
/bino poɾ kopa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "wine by the glass" is translated into Spanish as vino por copa.
This phrase describes wine that is sold as a single serving in a glass rather than as a whole bottle.
Which one should you use?
The term copa specifically refers to a stemmed glass (like a wine glass), whereas vaso refers to a standard tumbler or water glass. When ordering wine, you should use copa instead of vaso to indicate you want a proper wine glass.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people often use the term copa de vino to refer to 'wine by the glass'. In Argentina, people may use vino a la copa to mean 'wine by the glass'.
Did you know?
- Beyond the glassware, copa also means 'the canopy of a tree' or 'the top of a mountain'.
- In Spain, the expression ir de copas means 'to go out for drinks' with friends, regardless of whether you actually order wine.
- While copa refers to the wine glass, the word cuba in Spanish refers to a large wine vat or cask, despite both coming from the same Latin root.
Examples in context
- El vino por copa es muy bueno aquí.The wine by the glass is very good here.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are looking at a menu in a restaurant.
- AlejandroSofía, ¿quieres una botella de vino?Sofía, do you want a bottle of wine?
- SofíaNo, mejor pidamos vino por copa.No, it's better if we order wine by the glass.
- AlejandroTienes razón, es más ligero.You're right, it's lighter.
- SofíaAsí probamos dos tipos diferentes.That way we can try two different types.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries copa, por, vino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
