Offering guests a drink
Neutral Polite
What it really means
The first thing a British host does when you arrive is offer a drink: "Tea? Coffee? Something cold?" As a guest, accepting something — even just water — is warmer than refusing everything. When you host, do the same within minutes of guests sitting down; not offering anything is one of the clearest hosting mistakes here.
Chinese explanation
客人一进门，英国主人做的第一件事就是问喝什么："茶？咖啡？还是冷饮？"作为客人，接受点什么——哪怕一杯水——比什么都拒绝显得亲切。轮到你做主人时，也要在客人落座几分钟内这样问；什么都不端是这里最明显的待客失误之一。
Example conversation
A: Come in, sit down! Now — tea, coffee, or something cold?
B: A tea would be lovely, thanks. Just milk, no sugar.
A：快进来坐！来——喝茶、咖啡还是冷饮？
B：来杯茶就太好了，谢谢。加奶不加糖。
What you could say back
Related phrases
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All Customs & Etiquette
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake