Quiero beber el agua.

I want to drink the water.

Breakdown of Quiero beber el agua.

• yo: I
• querer: to want
• el agua: the water
• beber: to drink

Questions & Answers about Quiero beber el agua.

Why is el agua used instead of la agua if agua is feminine?

Agua is a feminine noun, but because it starts with a stressed a sound, Spanish uses the masculine article el to avoid having two vowels run together (la agua → l-aagua). Despite the article el, the noun agua remains feminine, and adjectives referring to agua would still use feminine forms.

Can I just say Quiero beber agua without the article el?

Absolutely! Saying Quiero beber agua is perfectly common and natural. Using the article el can add a bit of emphasis, as if referring to a particular supply of water, but both forms are correct in everyday Spanish.

Does the verb beber only refer to water, or can I use it with other drinks too?

You can use beber with any drink. For example, Quiero beber vino, Quiero beber café, etc. It's a general verb meaning to drink.

Are there any differences between using Quiero beber agua and Quiero tomar agua in Spain Spanish?