Translation guide
The English word 'drink' can refer to consuming liquids, alcoholic beverages, or the liquid itself. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To take liquid into the mouth and swallow it.
The most common and general verb for drinking any liquid.
I drink water.
I drink coffee every morning.
Honorific verb for 'to drink' or 'to eat', used when speaking about someone of higher status.
Humble verb for 'to drink' or 'to eat', used when the speaker receives the action. Often used in polite expressions.
To drink up, to finish a drink completely.
To drink alcoholic beverages, often in a social context.
The same verb as for non-alcoholic drinks, but context makes it clear. Often used with words like お酒 (alcohol).
A liquid that can be consumed.
To ingest liquid medicine.
The same verb 飲む is used for taking liquid medicine.
While ドリンク is understood, 飲み物 is the natural, everyday word for beverages. ドリンク is mostly used in commercial names like ドリンクバー (drink bar) or スポーツドリンク (sports drink).
飲む is for liquids, 食べる is for solids. However, soup (スープ) can be 飲む if drunk from a cup, or 食べる if eaten with a spoon. Medicine in pill form uses 飲む even though it's solid.
drink soup / eat soup
The company president drank tea.
お茶をいただきます。
I will have some tea. (humble)
ビールを一気に飲み干した。
He downed the beer in one go.
今夜は飲みに行かない？
Wanna go out for drinks tonight?
He drinks alcohol every night.
Formal term for drinking alcohol, often used in legal or official contexts.
Drunk driving is prohibited.
Colloquial expression meaning 'to have a drink' (alcoholic), often implying a casual or quick drink.
Let's grab a drink after work.
General term for any drink or beverage.
Please give me something to drink.
What would you like to drink?
Loanword from English, often used in menus or commercial contexts.
The drink bar is over there.
Specifically refers to alcoholic beverages. Adding お makes it polite.
Please don't drink too much alcohol.
Formal term for beverages, used in product labels or official documents.
Soft drink (literally 'refreshing beverage')
風邪薬を飲んだ。
I took cold medicine.
Please take this medicine after meals.
薬を飲む
take medicine (pills or liquid)
Can I have a drink of water?
They went out drinking.