SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to At The Hotel

French Phrase

J'ai pris un verre au minibar.

/ʒe pʁi ɛ̃ vɛʁ o mi.ni.baʁ/
Meaning"I had a drink from the minibar."
💡

Meaning

Literally, 'I took a glass at the minibar.' In everyday English it means 'I had a drink from the minibar.' The speaker is usually referring to a hotel minibar where a small drink was taken.

🎯

When to use

Use this sentence when you want to tell someone (a friend, a hotel staff member, or a travel companion) that you just took a drink from the minibar in your hotel room or a similar setting.

✦Grammar Breakdown

J'aiprisunverreauminibar.

1

Passé composé with avoir

The past tense is formed with the auxiliary 'avoir' (ai) + past participle (pris).

2

Contraction of 'je' + 'ai'

The subject pronoun 'je' contracts to 'j'' before a vowel or mute 'h'.

3

Preposition 'au'

'au' is the contraction of 'à le' and is used before masculine singular nouns like 'minibar'.

4

Indefinite article 'un'

'un' marks a masculine singular countable noun (verre = a glass).

5

Gender of 'verre' and 'minibar'

Both 'verre' and 'minibar' are masculine, so adjectives and articles agree accordingly.

🗨In Conversation

A

J'ai pris un verre au minibar.

I had a drink from the minibar.

Tu l'as aimé ? C'était cher ?

Did you like it? Was it expensive?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Je ai pris un verre au minibar.

    The subject pronoun 'je' contracts to 'j'' before a vowel.

  • J'ai pris un verre à le minibar.

    Do not separate the contraction; 'au' already includes the article.

  • J'ai pris un verre du minibar.

    While understandable, the standard preposition is 'au' (à le) for location.

↔Alternatives

  • J'ai bu un verre du minibar.

    I drank a glass from the minibar.

  • J'ai pris une boisson au minibar.

    I took a beverage from the minibar.

  • J'ai dégusté un verre du minibar.

    I enjoyed a glass from the minibar.

fr

Cultural Tip

In French hotels, the minibar is often stocked with small bottles of water, soft drinks, and sometimes alcoholic beverages. Prices can be significantly higher than buying the same items outside, so it's common to ask the staff about the cost before indulging. Also, note that 'minibar' is masculine, so you say 'le minibar' and 'au minibar' when referring to it.