Shall we have a drink?

Question

¿Tomamos una copa? and let's have a drink would be Tomemos una copa. (or una bebida) or even ¿Bebemos algo? VS bebamos algo.

Bebimos is the preterite. - lorenzo9, Feb 8, 2011

typo - jeezzle, Feb 8, 2011

Answer 1

¿Tomamos una copa?

Let's have a drink, shall we have a drink?

¿Bebemos algo? VS bebamos algo.

This simply means, let's drink something, like a glass of water.

There is a big difference in English between let's and shall we, one is imperative (though not that forceful in this example) and the other a question... - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

yes, there is, but it is more or less the same, in Spanish too...however, using only the verb, makes all the difference in teh world, not the same to have a drink and drink a glass of water...I guess you agree? jeje - 00494d19, Feb 8, 2011

Yeah, I figured you were talking about different verbs meaning different things. I think Jez was referring to the conjugation though. I never here beber in Colombia, tomar seems to be used for everything... - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Let's does not sound like an order but a suggestion: certainly in English, so does it really take the imperative Heidi? - FELIZ77, Feb 8, 2011

Feliz, let's is imperative. I totally agree that it comes across closer to a suggestion than a direct order but it is none the less imperative in the first person plural as is 'have a drink' imperative in the second person. I would not put a question... - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

... mark nor raise the pitch of my voice in a questioning manner at the end of a 'let's' sentence. Of course you can say no, just as you can say no to a direct order, nonethless, using let's is a direction (to avoid saying order :-)) - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Answer 2

Yeah - ¿bebemos? - shall?, ¡bebamos! - let's.

not really, that means, let¡s drink - 00494d19, Feb 8, 2011

Answer 3

Hello Afowen ¿Tomamos una copa? is a question. It´s not an order. It´s really just saying Let´s go for a drink or will we go for a drink? rather than shall we go for a drink. Perhaps it´s a bit informal to be said among strangers and best said among friends and work colleagues. For more information on giving orders, politely or more directly and more information about when to use the imperative and the grammar, see Paralee´s videos 1.13 and 2.12 to 2.14 for clarification on the imperative. They´re very clear and well worth watching again even if you´ve already seen them.

If you don´t know someone well, or you just like to be polite, you can say ¿te gustaría salir para tomar un trago? Would you like to go out for a drink? or ¿Quieres tomar una copa de vino conmigo? Do you want to drink a glass of wine with me?

You can also use the imperfect subjunctive for politeness.

Yeah, I know that ¿tomamos? is a question Phil, I'm confused by Heiditas post... - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Shall we go for a drink is a question. Let's go for a drink is not a question, it is an imperative. - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Shall we go for a drink is definitely a question but lets go for a drink is simply a suggestion rather than an order and therefore does not require the imperative iI is like saying vamos a tomar una copa except that I think tomamos is more common :) - FELIZ77, Feb 8, 2011

Let's is an imperative construction, punto. I´ve said throughout my posts that I don´t consider it as 'strong' as an order per say. It is still however imperative. - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Answer 4

Shall we go for a drink is a question. Let's go for a drink is not a question, it is an imperative. -

I assumed we were discussing the word beber vs have a drink here.

Bebamos algo: let's drink something...coffee? water? whiskey?

Vamos a tomar algo, tomar una copa....let's have a drink, not a glass of water.

I am sure jeezle knows the difference between an imperative and a question, I guess so do you afo

Well, it seems that some posters don't :-) Seems you are making the distinction between beber being used to chat about drinking anything and tomar specifically for drinking alcohol. To me it seems as Jez's question was about conjugation rather than the... - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

specific verb used as he's asked if one conjugation means shall and the other lets. I guess he didn´t account for the different uses of the two different verbs, new to me too :-) - afowen, Feb 8, 2011

Answer 5

¿Tomamos una copa?

Let's have a drink, shall we have a drink?

¿Bebemos algo? VS bebamos algo.

This simply means, let's drink something, like a glass of water.

I's confunded.

My understanding is that present indicative, used with question marks, asks a question, whereas the imperative conjugation gives an order. In the case of 'let's have a drink', I'd not use a word as strong as 'order', rather I'd say it's a suggestion put across in a non-enquiring manner, anyway, that's not the point...

So, if tomar and beber mean to imbibe:

¿Tomamos...? and ¿Bebemos...? are are asking the question 'Should we/shall we/might we drink/have a drink'

and,

Tomemos... and bebamos..., being imperative, are 'ordering' 'Let's drink/have a drink'

Would you tell me more regarding your post please Heidita?

Gracious...

Answer 6

Or ¿tomamos un trago? Like English you can say it in lots of ways. ¿Quieres salir para beber algo? ¿vamos para tomar?

Answer 7

In English you can also say "Let's have a drink, shall we?"

Now you're just complicating things... - afowen, Feb 9, 2011

Answer 8

Heidita, I think that we actually do agree

Shall we have a drink and let's have a drink essentially mean the same thing. They both indicate that the speaker would like a drink and also that she is suggesting that the other party joins her.

I'm simply pertaining to the difference, albeit a subtlety, in the two expressions. In asking 'shall we have a drink' you are asking the opinion of the other party. In saying let's have a drink you are not asking for a opinion, although the other party would likely respond with the same answer to both the question and the statement.

The reason that I am banging on about this comes from the original question as to the difference between the use of the imperative and the indicative, which, to my understanding correspond pretty well with let's and shall we.

I think that the more important thing to come out of this discussion is the difference between tomar and beber, though I suspect that it might not be a universal distinction in Spanish as here in Locombia, I never here beber, nor for that matter bebida.

Answer 9

The word chupar is used around here in reference to drinking alcoholic beverages, but it's a regional thing that may get you in trouble elsewhere.

Je je, yeah, I'd not say that hear unless I were going for the double entendre... - afowen, Feb 9, 2011

Answer 10

HI Alex, I don't agree at all.

Situation:

You are at my home and I say:

Shall we have a drink? get up and go to the bar.....

YOu: NO thanks, I will pass.

or

Let's have a drink!...I get up and poor myself a drink and you say...no thanks, I will pass.

So???? Now tell me you would never say that

I know that technically one is a command and the other is a question...so what? In essence, they mean the same thing.

In Spanish however, tomemos una copa and bebamos algo can mean something completely different.

Answer 11

Hi Phil, I'm heading to the brewery in which I work soon for a tasting, that drink is coming right up.

I think we are suffering communication problems inherent in this rather long-winded manner of exchange of ideas

I'm fine with my use of Spanish in the abovementioned context. I think wires have been crossed as Jez was asking for the difference in meaning between the use of the indicative and imperative forms of the verbs and Heidta was drawing on the difference between the meanings (in Spanish Spanish I guess) between tomar and beber.

Let me know if you disagree, I'm happy to translate ¿tomamos algo? as 'shall we have a drink?', in fact I can't think how else one might translate it.

To me this is very distinct to 'let's have a drink' which, although could be met with rejection, is not a question.

Cheers, Alex

Answer 12

Hello Afowen, as I understand you´re wanting to use something as subtle as shall in Spanish and maybe the problem is that as a direct translation "shall we have a drink?" simply doesn't work. Shall doesn't exist in Spanish, as it's a modal verb, which are peculiar to English and it's Germanic origins.

Another example of a modal verb would be will, which also doesn't exist in spanish. Although you can say I will study this, estudiaré esto, there is no equivalent of will.

If this doesn´t help, then I think you need an experienced linguist to give you a fuller explanation.

Anyway, hope you finally get that drink whatever happens...