Want a beer? / Vai uma cerveja?
Cerveja (colloquially known as B’jeca) is the Portuguese word for beer and there are many things to say if we’re thinking about Portuguese beers. But, let’s make it simply, and make a short list of the most used expressions if you’re in a Café or a Bar and you want to order a beer. So, you’ll start with the verb Queria, which means “I would like” and you complete your sentence with one of the following expressions:
Queria…
- Uma imperial – a standard 300ml draught in a pilsner glass
- Uma caneca – a 500ml draught in a mug
- Uma Cerveja Preta – A black beer
- Uma Mini – It’s a small bottle of beer (20cl) and because it’s so small is always fresh
- Uma Cerveja sem álcool – A non-alcoholic beer
- Um Panaché / Um Shandy – A Shandy
- Uma garrafa de cerveja – A bottle of beer (here, the most common is to ask for a specific trade mark, for instances, Queria uma Sagres/ uma Super bock/ uma Cristal /uma Tagus/ uma Cintra/ uma Coral/ uma Bohemia …)
If you really like beer don’t forget we have in Silves (Algarve) the Festival da Cerveja (Beer Festival) in July. So… Vai uma cerveja?