barista

See also: Barista, barışta, and baristą

English

A barista preparing coffee

Alternative forms

• barrista

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian barista (“bartender”, literally “barist”), from bar (from English bar) + -ista (“-ist”); compare barman.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bəˈɹiːs.tə/, /bəˈɹɪs.tə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /bəˈɹis.tə/, /bəˈɹɪs.tə/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /bəˈɹɪs.tə/
• IPA^(key): /baˈɹis.ta/, /baˈɾis.ta/ (unadapted Italian pronunciation)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪstə
• Hyphenation: ba‧ris‧ta

Noun

barista (plural baristas or baristi)

1. A person who prepares coffee in a coffee shop for customers.
   • 2021 March 10, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 926, page 70:

     "From behind the counter of this provincial train station coffee shop, Joanna was barista and unofficial shrink to wildly varied London-bound travellers," writes author Laline Paull. Confessions of a Barista on Platform 1 was published on February 9 by The Firle Press [...].

Usage notes

• Barista, in Italian, may be used in reference to both men and women. For English speakers cursorily familiar with Italian grammar, it may appear feminine on first encounter, as evidenced by the existence of the hypercorrect derivation baristo, intended as its masculine counterpart.

Derived terms

• baristo (hypercorrect masculine form)
• cannista

 

Translations

person who prepares coffee in a coffee shop for customers

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 咖啡師 / 咖啡师 (zh) (kāfēishī)

• Danish: barista c
• Esperanto: kafofaristo
• Finnish: barista (fi)
• French: barista (fr) m or f
• German: Barista (de) m
• Greek: μπουφετζής (el) m (boufetzís), μπουφετζoύ f (boufetzoý)
• Italian: barista (it) m or f
• Japanese: バリスタ (barisuta)
• Maori: tuari mahi kawhe
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: barista (no) m

• Polish: barista (pl) m, baristka (pl) f
• Portuguese: barista (pt) m or f
• Romanian: barista (ro) m or f
• Russian: бари́ста (ru) m (barísta)
• Spanish: barista (es) m or f
• Swedish: barista (sv) c
• Turkish: barmen (tr), barista

Verb

barista (third-person singular simple present baristas, present participle barista-ing or (uncommon) baristaing, simple past and past participle baristaed or barista'd)

1. To work as a barista.
   • 2007, Kate Hardy [pseudonym; Pamela Brooks], In Bed with Her Italian Boss, Harlequin, →ISBN, page 24:

     I helped out in the business while I was at school—we all did, whether it was washing up or baristaing or clearing the tables for Dad and washing them down when the shop closed—but this one night I was meant to be working a late shift when I had a chance to play in a concert. […] Are you still OK for another half-hour lesson on baristaing, tonight? […] ‘It’s advanced baristaing—an extra,’ he admitted.

   • 2009, Laura Schaefer, The Teashop Girls, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, →ISBN, page 220:

     Nevertheless, we’ll both be done with barista-ing soon.

   • 2009, Jody Gehrman, Triple Shot Bettys in Love, Dial Books, →ISBN:

     We hadn’t exchanged a word since our stupid tiff at TSB—we’d just baristaed side by side in silence, which isn’t easy when your workspace is the size of a broom closet.

   • 2011, Andrew Wear, “The Flavor of Choice: Neoliberalism and the Espresso Aesthetic”, in Scott F. Parker, Michael W. Austin, editors, Coffee – Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate, Wiley-Blackwell, →ISBN, page 163:

     If pure chance guided me to glory in the heady world of competitive barista-ing, the rewards came to be measured in frustration.

   • 2013, K.W. Taylor, “Doomed”, in Sarah Hans, editor, Sidekicks!, Alliteration Ink, →ISBN, page 170:

     But it was crappy of me to steal instead of bartending or barista-ing or temping or something.

   • 2015, Jo Knowles, Read Between the Lines, Candlewick Press, →ISBN, page 57:

     Barista Boy grins and goes back to barista-ing.

   • 2015, Kate Rorick, Rachel Kiley, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet, Touchstone, →ISBN, page 95:

     I nodded to Mary, where she was working the frothing machine like she’d been barista-ing for much longer than a month.

   • 2015, Richard Polt, The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century, The Countryman Press, →ISBN:

     When she’s not barista-ing, she’s writing scripts for murder mystery dinner events.

   • 2016, Cara McKenna, chapter 19, in Downtown Devil, InterMix, published 2017, →ISBN:

     “How was barista-ing?” “Same as always. A few more burns, a few more tips.”

   • 2017, Ken Davenport, How to Succeed in the Arts…Or in Anything, Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., →ISBN, page 44:

     Somewhere right now, behind the counter at a McDonald’s or delivering pizza for Domino’s or barista-ing at Starbucks, there may be a guy with a gaggle of fantastic ideas for screenplays, Broadway shows, computer software, or, yeah, even healthcare!

   • 2018, Kirsten Weiss, chapter 15, in Witch: A Doyle Witch Cozy Mystery, →ISBN:

     Because I can’t fight crime every day, I spent Tuesday and Wednesday doing what I get paid for: barista-ing.

   • 2019, Arthur Smyth, Duet Quartet, Xlibris, →ISBN, page 34:

     Actually I hear nothing but orders, shouts of / disembodied names / disembodied people / Barista-ing, hard on the legs

   • 2020, Jan Gallagher, Double Latte Death, Xlibris, →ISBN:

     It’s easy—I turn out to be a sort of savant at barista-ing. […] Between customers I instruct her in the fine art of barista-ing.

   • 2020, Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, Starling Days, The Overlook Press, →ISBN:

     Along the halls, stories were muttered of graduates turned down from barista-ing, pool attending, dishwashing.

   • 2022, Sean Thor Conroe, Fuccboi, Little, Brown and Company, published 2023, →ISBN:

     But after X times of harassing him, he’d caved and admitted he only got 11 pages in before bowing out. This right after I’d finished trying to walk across country. Failing to. Back home barista-ing. Renting a room out of my high school home.

   • 2023, Kira Davis, “Critical Race Theory (Here Goes Nothin’)”, in Drawing Lines: Why Conservatives Must Begin to Battle Fiercely in the Arena of Ideas, Fidelis Publishing, →ISBN:

     My first child was three by that time and I’d given up acting (okay, fine … barista-ing) to become a housewife and mother.

   • 2023, Ian McDonald, chapter 11, in Hopeland, Tor Books, →ISBN:

     Raisa is long gone baristaing to the early workers of Spitalfields by the time Amon Brightbourne wakes from white sleep.

References

• “barista”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

• Arabist

Cebuano

Etymology

From English barista, borrowed from Italian barista (“bartender”, literally “barist”), from bar.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧ris‧ta

Noun

barista

1. a barista

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from English barista, from Italian barista. By surface analysis, bar +‎ -ista.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbarɪsta]
• Rhymes: -ɪsta
• Hyphenation: ba‧ri‧s‧ta

Noun

barista m anim (female equivalent baristka, related adjective baristický)

1. barista

Declension

Declension of barista (masculine animate in -a)

	singular	plural
nominative	barista	baristé, baristi
genitive	baristy	baristů
dative	baristovi	baristům
accusative	baristu	baristy
vocative	baristo	baristé, baristi
locative	baristovi	baristech
instrumental	baristou	baristy

Related terms

• bar m inan

 

See also

• kavárník m anim

Further reading

• “barista” in Akademický slovník současné češtiny, 2012–2024, slovnikcestiny.cz
• “barista”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)

Finnish

Etymology

From Italian barista.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɑristɑ/, [ˈbɑ̝ris̠tɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑristɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): ba‧ris‧ta

Noun

barista

1. barista

Declension

Inflection of barista (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		barista	baristat
genitive		baristan	baristojen
partitive		baristaa	baristoja
illative		baristaan	baristoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		barista	baristat
accusative	nom.	barista	baristat
	gen.	baristan
genitive		baristan	baristojen baristain rare
partitive		baristaa	baristoja
inessive		baristassa	baristoissa
elative		baristasta	baristoista
illative		baristaan	baristoihin
adessive		baristalla	baristoilla
ablative		baristalta	baristoilta
allative		baristalle	baristoille
essive		baristana	baristoina
translative		baristaksi	baristoiksi
abessive		baristatta	baristoitta
instructive		—	baristoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of barista (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative baristani baristani accusative nom. baristani baristani gen. baristani genitive baristani baristojeni baristaini rare partitive baristaani baristojani inessive baristassani baristoissani elative baristastani baristoistani illative baristaani baristoihini adessive baristallani baristoillani ablative baristaltani baristoiltani allative baristalleni baristoilleni essive baristanani baristoinani translative baristakseni baristoikseni abessive baristattani baristoittani instructive — — comitative — baristoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative baristasi baristasi accusative nom. baristasi baristasi gen. baristasi genitive baristasi baristojesi baristaisi rare partitive baristaasi baristojasi inessive baristassasi baristoissasi elative baristastasi baristoistasi illative baristaasi baristoihisi adessive baristallasi baristoillasi ablative baristaltasi baristoiltasi allative baristallesi baristoillesi essive baristanasi baristoinasi translative baristaksesi baristoiksesi abessive baristattasi baristoittasi instructive — — comitative — baristoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative baristamme baristamme accusative nom. baristamme baristamme gen. baristamme genitive baristamme baristojemme baristaimme rare partitive baristaamme baristojamme inessive baristassamme baristoissamme elative baristastamme baristoistamme illative baristaamme baristoihimme adessive baristallamme baristoillamme ablative baristaltamme baristoiltamme allative baristallemme baristoillemme essive baristanamme baristoinamme translative baristaksemme baristoiksemme abessive baristattamme baristoittamme instructive — — comitative — baristoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative baristanne baristanne accusative nom. baristanne baristanne gen. baristanne genitive baristanne baristojenne baristainne rare partitive baristaanne baristojanne inessive baristassanne baristoissanne elative baristastanne baristoistanne illative baristaanne baristoihinne adessive baristallanne baristoillanne ablative baristaltanne baristoiltanne allative baristallenne baristoillenne essive baristananne baristoinanne translative baristaksenne baristoiksenne abessive baristattanne baristoittanne instructive — — comitative — baristoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative baristansa baristansa accusative nom. baristansa baristansa gen. baristansa genitive baristansa baristojensa baristainsa rare partitive baristaansa baristojaan baristojansa inessive baristassaan baristassansa baristoissaan baristoissansa elative baristastaan baristastansa baristoistaan baristoistansa illative baristaansa baristoihinsa adessive baristallaan baristallansa baristoillaan baristoillansa ablative baristaltaan baristaltansa baristoiltaan baristoiltansa allative baristalleen baristallensa baristoilleen baristoillensa essive baristanaan baristanansa baristoinaan baristoinansa translative baristakseen baristaksensa baristoikseen baristoiksensa abessive baristattaan baristattansa baristoittaan baristoittansa instructive — — comitative — baristoineen baristoinensa

Further reading

• “barista”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Italian

Etymology

From bar +‎ -ista (“-ist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈri.sta/
• Rhymes: -ista
• Hyphenation: ba‧rì‧sta

Noun

barista m or f by sense (masculine plural baristi, feminine plural bariste)

1. barman (male), barmaid (female), bartender (North American), barista

Related terms

• bar

Descendants

• → English: barista

Further reading

• barista in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Anagrams

• barasti, basarti, bastirà, brasati, brisata, sbraita

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian barista, equivalent to bar +‎ -ista. First attested in 2003.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈris.ta/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ista
• Syllabification: ba‧ris‧ta

Noun

barista m pers (female equivalent baristka)

1. barista

Declension

Declension of barista

	singular	plural
nominative	barista	bariści/baristy (deprecative)
genitive	baristy	baristów
dative	bariście	baristom
accusative	baristę	baristów
instrumental	baristą	baristami
locative	bariście	baristach
vocative	baristo	bariści

Related terms

adjectives

• barmański
• barowy

 

nouns

• bar
• barek
• barman
• barmanka
• barobus
• barowóz

 

Further reading

• barista in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• barista in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -istɐ

Noun

barista m or f by sense (plural baristas)

1. barista (person who serves in a coffee shop)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian barista. By surface analysis, bar +‎ -ista.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈɾista/ [baˈɾis.t̪a]
• Rhymes: -ista
• Syllabification: ba‧ris‧ta

Noun

barista m or f by sense (plural baristas)

1. barista

Further reading

• “barista”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10