How to Order a Beer in 19 Countries

beer on a bar
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

While saying, "Kind barkeep, I would enjoy a cold, frosty beer at this moment, thank you very kindly” might get you a good, frosty brew in English-speaking countries, it might not get you as far elsewhere. And considering that knocking back ice-cold local beers is one of the best parts of traveling to another country, it's incredibly useful to know how to request a beer in another language. (Maybe even more useful than knowing how to ask where the bathroom is.) So we've laid out how to order a beer -- complete with a pronunciation guide so you don't look like an idiot -- in 19 countries around the world. Cheers to that!

Croatian beer
Flickr/Nikolaj Potanin

Croatia

Jedno pivo molim (yid-noh pee-voh moe-lim)

France

Une bière s'il vous plaît (ewn be-ehr, see-vooh-pleh)

Germany

Ein bier, bitte (ighn beer, bit-uh)

Greek beer
Flickr/Pug Girl

Greek

Mea bira parakalo (mee-ah bee-rah para-kal-oh)

Hungary

Egy pohár sört kérek (edge poe-har short keh-wreck)

India

Muhje ek beer chahiye (moo-jeh ayk beer cha-hee-ye)

Indonesia

Tolong satu bir (toe-long sah-two bihr)

Israel

Ten li bira (ten lee beer-a)

Italian beer
Flickr/Jeffrey

Italy

Una birra, per favore (oo-na beer-rah, pair fa-vo-ray)

Japan

Nama biru kudasai (nama beer-ooh koo-dah-sigh)

Korea

Meckjoo hanjan do jusayo (mek-ju han-jan du joo-se-yoh)

Netherlands

Ik wil graag een biertje (ik vil khrahkh en beer-tyeh)

Poland

Proszę piwo (prohsheh pee-vo)

Portuguese beer
Flickr/kate m

Portugal

Uma cerveja, por favor (oo-mah sehr-vay-juh, poorh pha-vohr)

Russia

Manye pazaloosta butilku piva (mah-nyeh, pa-zah-lu-sta, buh-tyl-ku pee-vah)

South Africa

'n bier, asseblief (uh beer ah-suh-bleef)

Spain

Una botella de cerveza, por favor (oo-na boh-teh-yah de thair-vey-suh, pohr fah-bohr)

Sweden

En öl, tack (ahn url, tahck)

Vietnam

Cyn mot li roo bia (sin-muht lee roo bee-ah)

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Lee Breslouer is a senior writer for Thrillist, and forgets how to order a beer in English. Follow him to beer @LeeBreslouer.