Key Facts
- Hangul: 아메리카노; Revised Romanization: amerikano
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword
- Register: Neutral; a common coffee order in Korean cafes.
Americano in Korean: What Does 아메리카노 Mean?
아메리카노 is a loanword for espresso topped up with water. The register is neutral, and it is a common coffee order in Korean cafes. The word is long, five syllables, but it is spelled exactly as it sounds.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Five syllables: a-me-ri-ka-no. Keep the stress even and the vowels short. The ㄹ in 리 is a quick tap, not an English r, and the ㅋ in 카 is aspirated. There is no final consonant, so the word ends on a clean o.
Example Sentences with 아메리카노
아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
Aiseu amerikano han jan juseyo
One iced americano, please.
아이스 is the loanword for iced, put before the drink. 한 잔 is "one cup" and 주세요 is the request.
저는 아메리카노를 좋아해요.
Jeoneun amerikanoreul joahaeyo
I like americano.
좋아해요 is the plain-polite "like", and the object takes 를 after the vowel-final noun.
아메리카노는 쓰지만 시원해요.
Amerikanoneun sseujiman siwonhaeyo
The americano is bitter but refreshing.
쓰지만 means "it is bitter, but", and the second part adds that it is refreshing.
Common Phrases and Collocations
아이스 아메리카노 is iced and 따뜻한 아메리카노 is hot. 아메리카노 한 잔 is a cup, and 아메리카노를 시키다 is to order one.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 아이스 아메리카노 | iced americano |
| 따뜻한 아메리카노 | hot americano |
| 아메리카노 한 잔 | a cup of americano |
| 아메리카노를 시키다 | to order an americano |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners drop the last syllable.
Wrong: 아메리카 for the drink. That word means America.
Correct: 아메리카노, with -노 at the end.
아메리카노 Compared with 커피, 라떼 and 에스프레소
커피 is coffee in general, 라떼 is a latte, and 에스프레소 is espresso.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 아메리카노 | americano | This page's word |
| 커피 | coffee | The general word; 아메리카노 is one kind. |
| 라떼 | latte | Espresso with milk instead of water. |
| 에스프레소 | espresso | The concentrated shot an americano is made from. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
아메리카노 is a loanword from the Italian name of the drink, caffè americano, so it has no hanja.
Cultural Note
Iced americano, often shortened to 아아 among young people, is a very common order year-round in Korea.
Ordering at a Cafe Counter
A customer orders a drink. The barista checks whether the customer wants it hot or iced before making it.
Customer
아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
Amerikano han jan juseyo.
One americano, please.
Barista
아이스로 드릴까요?
Aiseuro deurilkkayo?
Would you like it iced?
Customer
네, 아이스로 주세요.
Ne, aiseuro juseyo.
Yes, iced, please.
Barista
네, 잠시만 기다려 주세요.
Ne, jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo.
Certainly. Please wait a moment.
The customer gives the drink and quantity first. The barista's question uses 아이스로, “as an iced drink,” so the reply can repeat just that choice. There is no need to say the full drink name again. 한 잔 counts one cup or glass; 두 잔 would order two.
How Do Menu Labels Change Your Order?
아메리카노 names the drink, but it does not settle the temperature. On a menu, HOT and ICE or 아이스 may appear beside separate prices or buttons. 따뜻한 아메리카노 explicitly asks for a warm one. 아이스 아메리카노 explicitly asks for ice. A picture of a cup is less reliable than the written temperature option.
You may also see 디카페인 아메리카노, a decaf americano. 디카페인 changes the caffeine option, while 아이스 changes the temperature. These describe separate choices, so an order can include both. 샷 추가 means adding an espresso shot; it is an extra option rather than another name for the drink.
A takeaway question may include 포장, meaning an order to go. A question about temperature and a question about takeaway need different answers. Listening for 아이스 or 포장 helps you identify what the barista is asking, even if the rest goes by quickly.
What Do 아아 and 얼죽아 Mean?
아아 takes the opening sounds of 아이스 아메리카노. Friends may use it while collecting drink orders in a group chat. It names the same drink, rather than a smaller size or a special recipe. At a counter, the full name is clear and polite; the abbreviation is casual and may be less helpful for a new learner.
얼죽아 is a playful abbreviation of 얼어 죽어도 아이스 아메리카노: roughly, “iced americano even if I freeze to death.” It describes a strong preference for iced americano even in cold weather. The wording is exaggerated, not a literal account of danger. You may meet it in social posts or friendly teasing about someone's usual order.
아메리카노를 시키다 uses 시키다 for ordering food or drinks. It does not mean that you make the coffee yourself. In a cafe conversation, the object makes the ordering meaning clear.
Useful Words beside 아메리카노
| Korean | Meaning | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| 잔 | cup / glass counter | Use 한 잔 or 두 잔 for drink quantities. |
| 디카페인 | decaf | Look for it among coffee options. |
| 샷 추가 | extra shot | Adds espresso to an order. |
| 포장 | takeaway | Describes taking the order away. |
The cafe menu vocabulary lesson covers the wider ordering set. Keep the drink name, temperature and quantity together when placing an order; then answer questions about extras or takeaway as they come.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word counts cups of americano?
- Does 아아 name a different recipe?
- Which option changes caffeine rather than temperature?
Show answers
- 잔, as in 아메리카노 한 잔.
- No. It is a casual abbreviation for 아이스 아메리카노.
- 디카페인, meaning decaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "americano" in Korean?
Say 아메리카노 (amerikano).
How do you order an iced americano?
아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
What does 아아 mean?
It is the short nickname among young people for an iced americano.
Is 아메리카 the same word?
No. 아메리카 means America.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Cafe menu words groups 아메리카노 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 아메리카노 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the cafe list is the word for coffee shop. See the page for coffee shop.
- Compare with the page for coffee.