"Drink soup" or "have soup"?
By tonytt2009
@tonytt2009 (1706)
China
October 16, 2008 8:27am CST
Hey there~I came across a tip about the culture different between west and east countries,which says that the native English speakers will never say " drink soup"? Does it sound rude to you if someone speak "drink soup"? Do you only speak "have soup"? As the soup in China it's quite common for every family~I mean Chinese soup,which is maken from several materials and boiled two more hours.I will have soup everyday~~or say drink soup?So,what do you think about that mylotters?Thanks for sharing~ 
4 people like this
23 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
16 Oct 08
As a native speaker of English, I would say that it depends on how you are consuming it; taken in a bowl and eaten with a spoon, I would say, "Have soup." In a cup I might drink soup.
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@tonytt2009 (1706)
• China
16 Oct 08
Hi urban~long time no see~If just like you mentioned,most of my soups are taken in a bowl,that's to say I would say "have soup",right?
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
16 Oct 08
Yes, though you might also say, "Will you take soup?" or "I am taking soup."
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@charleneqy (57)
• France
16 Oct 08
Well,i'd like to use "have soup",even i think it more like eat soup in France.When i was a child,every night i have to eat a bowl of soup which is too dense to drink.
yeah,i hate it very much. Until now i don't like to have soup.
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
16 Oct 08
Eat a bowl of soup - yes but take or have soup or drink it, if it in a cup.
all the best urban
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@urbandekay (18278)
•
16 Oct 08
Please; "...speak it differently..." you cannot correctly say, 'more differently.'
all the best urban
2 people like this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
16 Oct 08
But in English, 'drink' refers not to the liquid or solid state of the food but to the action of imbibing the fluid from a cup or similar vessel
all the best urban
2 people like this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
18 Oct 08
There is nothing "rude" about the different phrases "have soup," or "drink soup." It all depends on the dialect of the language. I'm in Canada, and I will say that I am going to have soup, or eat soup. I have never talked about drinking soup. Everyone is different.
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
17 Oct 08
i have soup but it is a cup of soup almost every day for lunch. when the water is first out of the pot, it is quite hot so i use a spoon to eat it out of the mug with, then after awhile, it will cool down and i eat the soup by drinking it like coffee.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
4 Nov 08
Hello tonytt. It is the same with my students who use "drink soup" instead of "have soup". As a Chinese English teacher, I understand them very well because they use the way we say "he tang", which has the meaning of "drink soup" if translated into English. I correct them by telling that it is "have some soup" instead. But anyway, there is not difficult for native English speakers to understand the improper word of "drink". Happy posting, tonytt.
1 person likes this
@amanda333 (739)
• France
16 Oct 08
i am going to HAVE some soup, never think of soup to drink, athough in England they use to sell a product called "cupa soup", in powdered form, you would just add boiling water it was yuk
1 person likes this
@Valenas (1507)
• United States
16 Oct 08
Well, I am going to answer this from a literal view point. Sometimes I put my soup in a cup because I don't feel like using a spoon, and I "drink" it. It was something that Dad showed me how to do when I was little, and I thought it was a neat 'invention.' But, otherwise, I say, "I am eating soup right now," or, "I will have soup for lunch,"
@tonytt2009 (1706)
• China
18 Oct 08
Well,thanks for your response.The invention of your Dad was not bad,however,I've never tried the soup in cup before coz the style of my CHINESE soup will have a some different with yours in state,in which I put lot of stuff,like chicken or other things~lol~have a nice day~
@LouiseKnittel (4764)
• United States
18 Oct 08
Well we always say eat Soup.. but then I do drink the broth....
1 person likes this
@tonytt2009 (1706)
• China
17 Oct 08
Hi there~~I do know guangzhou coz I'm in guangzhou now~`haha`~which district are you in?Tianhe?Yuexiu?I'm in Panyu~~nice to see you in mylot!~
@tonytt2009 (1706)
• China
16 Oct 08
Well,Im not sure about that,this is the simple reason I started this discussion.Hopefully,someone will give us a better answer about that~`
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
17 Oct 08
i am an asian... so i never use the word "have soup"... i always say "drink soup"... in fact, this is the first time i hear people say "have soup"... i live in a western country and i never heard people use these words to me... they also say "drink soup" here... take care and have a nice day...
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
17 Oct 08
hehehe when i enter the first time in a different world i used to say " i drink soup" but my husband commented it say it" have soup"
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
17 Oct 08
I think it would depend on the soup. Broth is a soup, but while it is nourishing, there is nothing to chew...so I think to say you drink it, is correct.
Other soups are chunky, with lots of meat, vegatables, rice, noodles, whatever. These soups must be chewed, therefore you can't drink it, but you do have it.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
17 Oct 08
Well, I usually say "have soup" but I have heard others say "drink soup and it didn't offend me.
