Italian Drinks Vocabulary: Drinks Words in Italian

Italian Drinks Vocabulary

Start with the most common words, then expand your knowledge with intermediate and advanced vocabulary.

Beginner (A1)

coffee il caffè
macchiato il caffè macchiato
cappuccino il cappuccino
ice il ghiaccio
milk il latte
latte il latte macchiato
juice il succo
orange juice il succo d'arancia
grape juice il succo d'uva
fruit juice il succo di frutta
apple juice il succo di mela
tea il tè
wine il vino
water l'acqua
mineral water l'acqua minerale
espresso l'espresso
soda la bibita
beer la birra
hot chocolate la cioccolata calda
lemonade la limonata

Elementary (A2)

cocktail il cocktail
milkshake il milkshake
smoothie il frullato
oat milk il latte d'avena
almond milk il latte di mandorla
soy milk il latte di soia
tonic water l'acqua tonica
americano l'americano
energy drink la bevanda energetica
herbal tea la tisana
champagne lo champagne
syrup lo sciroppo
sparkling wine lo spumante

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

spirits i distillati
brandy il brandy
drip coffee il caffè a goccia
decaf coffee il caffè decaffeinato
filter coffee il caffè filtro
frappé coffee il caffè frappé
irish coffee il caffè irlandese
shot il cicchetto
gin il gin
rice milk il latte di riso
liqueur il liquore
mocha il mocaccino
rum il rum
cider il sidro
whiskey il whisky
bitter l'amaro
aperitif l'aperitivo
infusion l'infuso
sports drink la bevanda isotonica
tequila la tequila
vodka la vodka
port wine il Porto
cognac il cognac
digestif il digestivo
vermouth il vermut
absinthe l'assenzio
sherry lo sherry

Example Sentences

In proper context. With highlighted verbs and adjectives.

Beginner & Elementary (A1-A2)

Simple everyday sentences about drinks.

Io bevo un succo d'arancia a colazione. I drink an orange juice for breakfast.
Marco ordina un cappuccino al bar. Marco orders a cappuccino at the bar.
Anna preferisce il tè caldo la sera. Anna prefers hot tea in the evening.
Luca mescola lo zucchero nel caffè. Luca stirs the sugar into the coffee.
Maria compra una bottiglia d'acqua minerale. Maria buys a bottle of mineral water.
La limonata è molto fredda. The lemonade is very cold.
Preferisco la cioccolata calda in inverno. I prefer hot chocolate in winter.
Questo succo di mela è troppo dolce. This apple juice is too sweet.
Il caffè espresso è molto amaro. Espresso coffee is very bitter.
Beve un'acqua tonica fresca in estate. He drinks a fresh tonic water in summer.

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

Complex sentences discussing beverages, coffee culture, and alcoholic drinks.

Il cliente sorseggia un liquore dopo cena. The customer sips a liqueur after dinner.
Il barista versa lo spumante nei calici. The bartender pours the sparkling wine into the glasses.
La cameriera prepara un delizioso cocktail alla frutta. The waitress prepares a delicious fruit cocktail.
Il sommelier raccomanda un vino rosso toscano. The sommelier recommends a Tuscan red wine.
L'oste offre un digestivo fatto in casa a fine pasto. The innkeeper offers a homemade digestif at the end of the meal.
Questa bevanda energetica non è alcolica. This energy drink is non-alcoholic.
Preferisco l'acqua minerale frizzante a quella naturale. I prefer sparkling mineral water to still water.
Questa tisana alle erbe è molto aromatica. This herbal tea is very aromatic.
Il cognac è un distillato invecchiato in botti di legno. Cognac is a spirit aged in wooden barrels.
Mio padre produce una birra artigianale di alta qualità. My father produces a high-quality craft beer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how to order beverages, navigate Italian coffee bar customs, and understand drink categories.

Italian coffee customs follow strict unspoken social rules and specific terminology:

If you ask for un caffè, you will automatically receive a single shot of espresso.
Italians rarely order milky drinks like cappuccino or latte macchiato after 11:00 AM, as milk is viewed strictly as a breakfast beverage.
If you ask simply for 'latte', you will receive a glass of plain cold milk! Order a latte macchiato if you want warm milk with a splash of espresso.
Pay at the register (la cassa) first in traditional bars, then take your receipt (lo scontrino) to the counter to place your order.

Pre-dinner and post-dinner drinks serve distinct cultural and physical functions in Italian dining:

L'aperitivo is an alcoholic drink enjoyed before dinner (around 6:00–8:00 PM) to stimulate the appetite, often accompanied by light snacks like olives, nuts, or small sandwiches.
Common aperitifs include lo spumante, Spritz, or l'americano.
Il digestivo (also called l'amaro or il ammazzacaffè) is a high-proof herbal liqueur consumed after coffee to aid digestion following a meal.
Popular digestifs include Grappa, Limoncello, and herbal liqueurs such as Amaro Montenegro or Fernet-Branca.

Tap water is not automatically served in Italian restaurants; you will be asked what type of bottled water you prefer:

Acqua naturale or acqua liscia: Still, non-carbonated water.
Acqua frizzante or acqua gassata: Carbonated, bubbly water.
Acqua effervescente naturale: Lightly naturally sparkling water.
If you want tap water, ask for acqua del rubinetto, though ordering bottled mineral water (acqua minerale) remains the standard dining norm.

Non-dairy milk alternatives are increasingly available in Italian bars and cafes:

Latte di soia (soy milk) is the most widely available plant milk in Italian bars.
Latte d'avena (oat milk) and latte di mandorla (almond milk) are popular alternatives in modern urban cafes.
Latte di riso (rice milk) can also be found, particularly in organic cafes and supermarkets.
Simply ask: "Avete il latte di soia o d'avena?" (Do you have soy or oat milk?).

Coffee terminology varies across Italian regions, particularly in Northeastern Italy:

In Trieste, ordering un capo gets you an espresso with a dollop of foamed milk in a small porcelain cup. If you want it served in a small glass, ask for un capo in b.
In Rome and Central Italy, ordering un caffè in vetro means an espresso served in a small glass rather than a ceramic cup.
In Venice, a small glass of wine is historically referred to as un'ombra ('a shadow').

Italian Drinks Vocabulary