Inklingo

How to Say "lager" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cerveza

/ser-BEH-sah//seɾˈβesa/

NounA1General
Use 'cerveza' when referring to any type of beer, including lagers, in a general sense or when the specific type isn't important.
A tall, clear glass filled with golden beer, topped with a thick layer of white foam, sitting on a simple surface.

Examples

Me gustaría una cerveza bien fría, por favor.

I would like a very cold beer, please.

Vamos a tomar unas cervezas después del trabajo para relajarnos.

Let's go have a few beers after work to relax.

España es famosa por su vino, pero también tiene una gran cultura de la cerveza.

Spain is famous for its wine, but it also has a great beer culture.

Always Feminine

The word 'cerveza' always uses 'la' or 'una' because it's a feminine noun. Just remember that it ends with an '-a', which is a great clue for feminine words in Spanish. So, it's always 'la cerveza fría' (the cold beer).

Forgetting the Plural 's'

Mistake: “Quiero dos cerveza.”

Correction: Quiero dos cervezas. Like in English, when you're talking about more than one, you usually need to add an '-s' to the end of the noun.

rubia

/roo-bee-ah//ˈru.βja/

NounB1Informal (Spain)
Use 'rubia' specifically for a light-colored beer, which often implies a lager, especially when speaking in Spain.
A tall pint glass filled with effervescent, golden-yellow beer topped with white foam.

Examples

Para mí, una rubia bien fría, por favor.

For me, a really cold lager, please.

Aquí solo servimos rubias y tostadas.

Here we only serve light and dark beers (lagers and toasts/ambers).

Understanding Context

If you hear 'rubia' in a bar, it almost certainly refers to a light beer, not a person. The context makes the meaning clear.

General Beer vs. Specific Type

Learners often mistakenly use 'rubia' when they simply mean 'beer' in general. Remember that 'cerveza' is the all-purpose word for beer, while 'rubia' is a more specific, often regional, term for a light-colored lager.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.