Translation guide
In Japanese, the general term for an alcoholic drink is お酒 (osake), but the specific word depends on the type of drink and the context. This guide covers common ways to refer to alcoholic beverages, from casual to formal settings.
The most common, all-purpose word for any alcoholic beverage, used in everyday conversation.
The polite and standard word for alcohol in general. The prefix お adds politeness. Can refer to sake, beer, wine, or any alcoholic drink.
お酒を飲みますか？
Do you drink alcohol?
お酒はあまり強くないです。
I'm not very good with alcohol.
The plain form of お酒. More casual and direct. Often used by men or in informal situations. Can also specifically mean sake (Japanese rice wine).
酒、飲みに行かない？
Wanna go grab a drink?
Loanword from English. Often used in compound words or when talking about alcohol content. Can sound slightly clinical.
この飲み物はアルコールが入っていますか？
Does this drink contain alcohol?
When you want to refer to a particular kind of alcohol, use these common terms.
Beer. The most popular alcoholic drink in Japan.
とりあえずビール！
I'll start with a beer! (common phrase when ordering)
Japanese sake (rice wine). Use this to be specific, as 酒 alone can be ambiguous.
日本酒を熱燗でください。
Please give me hot sake.
Wine. Specify 赤 (red) or 白 (white) if needed.
赤ワインを一杯ください。
A glass of red wine, please.
Shochu, a distilled spirit often made from sweet potato, barley, or rice. Very common in Japan.
Whisky. Often enjoyed as a highball (ハイボール) in Japan.
Phrases used when you want to invite someone for a drink or order at a bar.
Literally 'go to drink', the standard way to invite someone out for drinks.
今夜、飲みに行きませんか？
Would you like to go for a drink tonight?
Casual invitation meaning 'How about a drink?'. 一杯 means 'one cup'.
仕事の後、一杯どう？
How about a drink after work?
How to ask for a non-alcoholic drink or specify that you don't drink alcohol.
Non-alcoholic. Used as a prefix, e.g., ノンアルコールビール (non-alcoholic beer).
ノンアルコールの飲み物はありますか？
Do you have non-alcoholic drinks?
I can't drink alcohol. A polite way to decline.
すみません、お酒は飲めないんです。
Sorry, I can't drink alcohol.
酒 (さけ) can mean alcohol in general or specifically Japanese sake. To avoid confusion, use お酒 for general alcohol and 日本酒 for sake.
Adding お to 酒 makes it more polite and is the default in most situations. Dropping it sounds casual or masculine.
焼酎のお湯割りをください。
Shochu with hot water, please.
ハイボールをください。
A highball, please.