French Phrase
Quel genre de boisson ?
Meaning
Literally ‘What kind of drink?’ – a polite way to ask someone what type of beverage they would like, whether it’s water, wine, coffee, or something else.
When to use
Use this question in cafés, restaurants, at a party, or any situation where you’re offering drinks and want the other person’s preference. It works both in formal and informal contexts, though you may tone it down with ‘Quel type de boisson ?’ among close friends.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quelgenredeboisson?
Quel (interrogative adjective)
‘Quel’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it is masculine singular because ‘genre’ is masculine.
genre de + noun
The construction ‘genre de’ means ‘type/kind of’ and is followed by a noun without an article.
boisson (feminine noun)
‘Boisson’ is a feminine noun, so any adjective that would directly modify it must be feminine (e.g., ‘quelle boisson’).
Question mark in spoken French
In spoken French the intonation rises at the end; in writing the question mark is placed after the whole clause.
🗨In Conversation
Quel genre de boisson ?
What kind of drink?
Je prendrais un verre de vin rouge, s’il vous plaît.
I’ll have a glass of red wine, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Quel boisson ?
‘Quel’ must agree with the noun it modifies; because ‘boisson’ is feminine, you need ‘Quelle’ if you drop ‘genre de’. The correct form is ‘Quelle boisson ?’
Quel genre de boissons ?
When using ‘genre de’, the noun stays singular; the plural form would be ‘Quel genre de boisson ?’ not ‘boissons’.
Quel genre de boisson.
In spoken French, a rising intonation signals a question. A falling intonation can make it sound like a statement.
↔Alternatives
Quelle boisson préfères‑tu ?
Which drink do you prefer?
Quel type de boisson aimerais‑vous ?
What type of drink would you like?
Qu’est‑ce que tu veux boire ?
What do you want to drink?
Cultural Tip
In France, offering a drink is often accompanied by a brief description: ‘Un verre de vin blanc, un café, ou de l’eau plate ?’ – note that ‘eau’ (water) is always served still unless you ask for ‘eau gazeuse’. In formal settings, you’ll hear ‘Quel type de boisson désirez‑vous ?’ while among friends a simple ‘Une boisson ?’ is common. Also, remember that ‘boisson’ can refer to both alcoholic and non‑alcoholic drinks, so the context matters.