Aperitif (m)
/aˌpeːʁiˈtiːf/
An aperitif is an alcoholic drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. English shares the same French loanword, though informal settings often favour the phrase pre-dinner drink over the more formal term.
1. aperitif
The direct equivalent in culinary and formal contexts; English uses the same word borrowed from French.
Darf ich Ihnen einen Aperitif anbieten, während Sie die Speisekarte studieren?
May I offer you an aperitif while you look over the menu?
Als Aperitif empfahl der Sommelier einen trockenen Wermut.
As an aperitif, the sommelier recommended a dry vermouth.
Der Aperitif wurde auf der Terrasse mit kleinen Häppchen gereicht.
The aperitif was served on the terrace with small canapes.
2. pre-dinner drink [informal]
A common everyday phrase in British and American English when aperitif feels too formal for the occasion.
Wir trafen uns zum Aperitif in der Hotelbar, bevor wir zum Abendessen gingen.
We met for a pre-dinner drink at the hotel bar before heading to dinner.
Sie bot ihren Gästen auf der Veranda einen Aperitif an.
She offered her guests a pre-dinner drink on the veranda.
Notes
Aperitivo (from Italian) is increasingly used as a standalone term in both languages and often denotes more than just the drink: it refers to the entire pre-meal drinks-and-snacks occasion typical of Italian bar culture. Apero is a common shortening in Swiss German, also understood in Austria.