Spanish Phrase
Solo agua, gracias.
Meaning
The speaker is asking for only water and is expressing gratitude. It’s a concise way to decline other drinks while remaining polite.
When to use
Use this phrase in restaurants, cafés, or any situation where you’re offered a beverage menu and want to specify that you’ll have just water. It works both in casual and slightly formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Soloagua,gracias.
Solo vs. Sólo
Traditionally, "solo" (without accent) means "alone" and "sólo" (with accent) means "only"; however, the accent is now optional and both forms are accepted for "only".
Noun Gender
"Agua" is a feminine noun, but it uses the masculine article "el" in the singular to avoid the double "a" sound (e.g., "el agua").
Polite Closing
"Gracias" is a courteous way to end a request, similar to saying "thank you" in English.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué le gustaría beber?
What would you like to drink?
Solo agua, gracias.
Just water, thank you.
✕Common Mistakes
Solo agua, gracias.
While the accent is optional, many learners mistakenly think "solo" without accent always means "alone"; here it means "only".
Solo agua.
Using "gracias" without a preceding "por favor" can sound abrupt in very formal settings; add "por favor" if you want extra politeness.
Solo el agua, gracias.
Do not add an article (e.g., "el agua") when the phrase is a short request; the article is implied.
↔Alternatives
Sólo agua, por favor.
Only water, please.
Solo agua, por favor.
Just water, please.
Agua, por favor.
Water, please.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries it’s common to say "por favor" before "gracias" when ordering, but "gracias" alone is perfectly polite. Remember that "agua" is feminine, yet it takes the masculine article "el" (el agua) to avoid the double "a" sound. Also, the accent on "sólo" is optional nowadays, so both "solo" and "sólo" are acceptable for "only".