How to Say "drinking" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “drinking” is “tomando” — use 'tomando' when referring to the general act of consuming any liquid, especially when it's a specific beverage or part of a routine..
tomando
toh-MAHN-doh/toˈmando/
Examples
Ella está tomando un vaso de agua porque tiene mucha sed.
She is drinking a glass of water because she is very thirsty.
¿Estás tomando la cerveza o el vino?
Are you drinking the beer or the wine?
El doctor dijo que ella debe seguir tomando sus antibióticos.
The doctor said she must continue taking her antibiotics.
Drinking vs. Taking
While 'beber' means strictly 'to drink,' 'tomar' is far more common in Spanish for having a drink or a beverage.
bebiendo
/beh-byen-doh//beˈβjen̪.d̪o/
Examples
Estamos bebiendo jugo de naranja.
We are drinking orange juice.
Mi perro estaba bebiendo agua del inodoro. ¡Qué asco!
My dog was drinking water from the toilet. How gross!
Llegó a la cima de la montaña bebiendo mucha agua y descansando poco.
He reached the top of the mountain by drinking a lot of water and resting little.
The Continuous Action
This form is used to show an action that is in progress. You almost always use it with a form of the verb estar (to be), like 'Estoy bebiendo' (I am drinking).
Forming '-ing' Words
For verbs that end in -ER or -IR, you replace the ending with '-iendo'. Since beber ends in -ER, it becomes bebiendo.
Forgetting 'Estar'
Mistake: “Using 'Yo bebiendo' to mean 'I am drinking'.”
Correction: You must include the verb *estar* to show continuous action: 'Yo **estoy** bebiendo'. The gerund cannot stand alone.
Using the Simple Present Instead
Mistake: “Saying 'Yo bebo café ahora' (I drink coffee now) when you mean 'I am drinking coffee now.'”
Correction: While sometimes acceptable, Spanish prefers the continuous form for actions happening *at this moment*: 'Estoy bebiendo café ahora'.
Choosing between 'tomando' and 'bebiendo'
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