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German Phrase

Ich hab' was aus der Minibar getrunken.

/ɪç haːp vas aʊs deːɐ̯ ˈmiːniˌbaːɐ̯ ɡəˈtʁʊŋən/
Meaning"I drank something from the minibar."
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Meaning

Literally, "I drank something from the minibar." It is a casual way to tell someone that you consumed a drink (or any small item) that was available in the hotel’s minibar.

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When to use

Use this sentence after a hotel stay, when chatting with friends about what you had in your room, or when you want to explain a small expense on your bill.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchhabwasausderMinibargetrunken

1

hab (habe) – colloquial auxiliary

In spoken German the auxiliary verb "haben" is often shortened to "hab" (or "hab'" with an apostrophe) before the past participle.

2

was = etwas

"was" is the informal spoken form of "etwas" (something). It is common in everyday conversation but avoided in formal writing.

3

prepositional phrase "aus der Minibar"

The preposition "aus" governs the dative case, so "der Minibar" is dative feminine.

4

Past participle with "haben"

"getrunken" is the past participle of "trinken" and forms the perfect tense together with the auxiliary "haben".

🗨In Conversation

A

Wie war dein Aufenthalt im Hotel?

How was your stay at the hotel?

Ganz gut – ich hab' was aus der Minibar getrunken.

Pretty good – I drank something from the minibar.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich hab was aus der Minibar getrunken.

    In spoken German the apostrophe is needed to show the omitted "e" – write "hab'".

  • Ich hab' was aus der Minibar getrunken.

    In formal contexts replace "was" with "etwas".

  • Ich bin was aus der Minibar getrunken.

    "trinken" forms the perfect with "haben", not "sein".

↔Alternatives

  • Ich habe etwas aus der Minibar getrunken.

    I have drunk something from the minibar.

  • Ich habe aus der Minibar etwas getrunken.

    I have drunk something from the minibar.

  • Ich habe ein Getränk aus der Minibar genommen.

    I took a drink from the minibar.

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Cultural Tip

In German hotels the minibar is usually stocked with small bottles of water, soft drinks, and sometimes alcoholic beverages. Prices are often significantly higher than in a regular store, so many locals avoid using it unless they really need a quick refreshment. Mentioning that you "hab' was aus der Minibar getrunken" can be a subtle way to justify a higher bill or to start a light‑hearted conversation about hotel costs.