Spanish Phrase
Para mí, solo agua, por favor.
Meaning
The speaker is asking for only water, emphasizing that no other drink is wanted, and does so politely with ‘por favor’. It’s a concise way to state a personal preference in a restaurant or café setting.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re ordering a drink and want to make clear that you only want water. It works in restaurants, cafés, bars, or any situation where a server asks what you’d like to drink.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Paramí,soloagua,porfavor.
Para mí
A prepositional phrase meaning ‘for me’ that introduces a personal preference or request.
solo
An adjective meaning ‘only’ or ‘just’; placed before the noun it modifies.
por favor
A set phrase used to make a request polite; literally ‘by favor’.
Accent on mí
The pronoun mí always carries an accent to distinguish it from the possessive mi.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué le gustaría beber?
What would you like to drink?
Para mí, solo agua, por favor.
Just water for me, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Para mi, solo agua, por favor.
The pronoun mí always needs an accent; without it you’re writing the possessive adjective ‘my’ which changes the meaning.
Para mí, sólo agua, por favor.
Do not confuse ‘solo’ (only) with ‘solamente’; both are correct but ‘solo’ is more natural in spoken Spanish.
Para mí, solo agua.
Avoid omitting ‘por favor’ in formal settings; it can sound abrupt.
↔Alternatives
Solo agua, por favor.
Just water, please.
Quisiera solo agua, por favor.
I would like only water, please.
Solo agua, gracias.
Just water, thank you.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries it’s considered very polite to add ‘por favor’ when ordering, and to follow up with ‘gracias’ after receiving your drink. The phrase ‘para mí’ can sound a bit formal; in casual settings people often drop it and simply say ‘solo agua, por favor.’