die / das  Cola

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈkoːla/

🥤 What does "Cola" mean and which article to use?

The word Cola refers to a caffeinated and carbonated soft drink. The special thing in German is that it can be used with two articles:

• die Cola (feminine): Is often used when referring to a specific bottle (die Flasche), a can (die Dose) of cola, or a particular brand/type (die Marke/Sorte). Example: "Gib mir bitte die Cola aus dem Kühlschrank." (Please give me the cola from the fridge. - meaning the bottle/can) or "Ich trinke lieber die zuckerfreie Cola." (I prefer the sugar-free cola. - meaning the type).
• das Cola (neuter): Is often used when referring to the drink itself (das Getränk), i.e., the substance, or when ordering it in a restaurant (often as a shortening of "ein Glas Cola" - a glass of cola). Example: "Ich hätte gern ein Cola." (I'd like a cola, please. - meaning a glass of the drink) or "Das Cola ist heute im Angebot." (Cola is on offer today. - meaning the drink in general).

🚨 Attention: The usage isn't always strictly separated and can vary regionally. However, both forms are widespread and correct. "Die Cola" is somewhat more common overall, especially in written language.

📊 Grammar of Cola in Detail

Depending on the article used, "Cola" declines differently.

Declension "die Cola" (feminine)

Declension "das Cola" (neuter)

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Cola steht im Kühlschrank. (The cola is in the fridge. - referring to the bottle/can)
• Ich mag die Cola dieser Marke nicht. (I don't like this brand of cola. - referring to the type/brand)
• Kann ich bitte ein Cola haben? (Can I have a cola, please? - ordering, referring to a glass)
• Das Cola hier schmeckt anders. (The cola here tastes different. - referring to the drink itself)
• Für die Party brauchen wir viele Colas. (We need many colas for the party. - multiple bottles/cans)

💡 How Cola is Used

The choice between die Cola and das Cola often depends on the context and focus:

• Focus on Container/Brand: When referring to a specific bottle, can, or brand, die Cola is predominant. Example: "Diese Dose ist die letzte Cola." (This can is the last cola.)
• Focus on Drink/Order: When referring to the drink as a substance or when ordering (as a short form for "ein Glas Cola"), das Cola is often used. Example: "Im Kino trinke ich gern ein Cola mit Popcorn." (At the cinema, I like to drink a cola with popcorn.)
• General Statement: In general statements about the drink, both are possible, although die Cola might be slightly more common. Example: "Zu viel Cola (or: zu viel das Cola) ist ungesund." (Too much cola is unhealthy.)

Compared to other drinks like "die Limonade" (always feminine lemonade) or "das Wasser" (always neuter water), "Cola" shows this interesting flexibility in gender (Genus).

🧠 Memory Aids for Cola

For the articles:

• Think of die Flasche (the bottle) or die Dose (the can) → die Cola.
• Think of das Getränk (the drink) or when ordering: "Ich hätte gern das da!" (I'd like that one!) → das Cola.

For the meaning:

It's Cool and dark, with lots of La-vely fizz! That's Cola!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but different words:

• Kolanuss: The kola nut, the fruit from which extracts for cola were originally derived.

😄 A Little Joke

Kellner: "Möchten Sie ein Cola?"
Gast: "Nein danke, mir reicht das Glas!"

Waiter: "Would you like a cola?"
Guest: "No thanks, the glass is enough for me!" (A pun: "ein Cola" sounds like "ein Kilo" - a kilo, implying the guest thinks the waiter is offering a kilo of cola, but they only need the glass.)

📜 Poem about Cola

Ob die Cola aus der Dose,
Ob das Cola frisch vom Fass,
Dunkel, süß und voller Bläschen,
Macht beim Trinken immer Spaß.

Whether die Cola from the can so neat,
Or das Cola from the tap, a treat,
Dark and sweet and full of fizz,
Drinking it is always bliss.

🧩 Riddle

Ich bin dunkel, süß und kalt,
Man trinkt mich jung, man trinkt mich alt.
Mal heiß ich 'die', mal heiß ich 'das',
Was bin ich wohl, sag mir was?

I am dark, sweet, and cold,
Drunk by the young, drunk by the old.
Sometimes I'm 'die', sometimes I'm 'das',
What am I then, tell me alas?

(Solution: die Cola / das Cola)

🌐 Other Information

• Word Origin: The name "Cola" derives from the Kolanuss (kola nut), an original ingredient of the drink.
• Brands: The most famous brands are Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, but there are countless other providers and variations (Light, Zero, etc.).
• Ingredients: Typical ingredients include water (Wasser), sugar (Zucker) or sweetener (Süßstoff), carbonic acid (Kohlensäure), caffeine (Koffein), phosphoric acid (Phosphorsäure), caramel color (Karamellzuckersirup), and natural flavors (natürliche Aromen).