drink on me

L

lilybriscoe

New Member
italian
Hi everybody, can anyone explain to me the meaning of the expression "Drink on me? Does it mean that the person who says that is going to pay for the drink?
Can you give some examples (should I say Would you like a drink on me? sounds really bad...)
Thanks a lot!
Julia
 
    • Hi,
    Yes, it means that the speaker will pay for the drink. 'Would you like a drink on me?' sounds odd though (we'd say 'can I buy you a drink?') 'On me' is very casual, so combining it with the polite 'would you like' feels strange. You might say 'have a drink, it's on me', or (probably to a group of people) 'drinks are on me!'
     
    "On me" means generally that the person will pay. It can be used with "drink," where drink is either a verb or a noun.

    "Order a drink, on me"
    "Go to the bar and drink on me."
    "Would you like a drink on me?"

    All of the above are okay.
     
    "On me" means that the speaker will pay the cost of something. It is not llimited to drinks.

    Since you paid for the movie we saw last week, tonight's movie is on me.
    Because we are celebrating your birthday, dinner tonight is on me.
     
    And what is the difference between "on me" and "treat"? For example:

    This drink is on me.
    I treat you this drink. Or This drink is treated by me.

    Thanks in advance.
     
    MJRupeJM said:
    "On me" means generally that the person will pay. It can be used with "drink," where drink is either a verb or a noun.

    "Order a drink, on me"
    "Go to the bar and drink on me." :cross:
    "Would you like a drink on me?"

    All of the above are okay.
    Click to expand...

    I know it’s a while since this was posted - but this was not a helpful post. The middle example is NOT idiomatic or useful.
     
    You're right and nor are the others! If I say I've never heard them I don't mean nobody's ever bought me a drink!
    I don't use and rarely hear 'treat' either, except when talking to children. It's always 'This is on me' in my world. If 'treat' is used, I'd expect 'My treat!' not a whole song and dance about it.
     
    Do they still use the Milky Bar advert catch-phrase "The Milky Bars are on me"?
    That's the main memory triggered for me when discussing this. In my real life I don't really think these terms are used much. I might say "I'll get these/this" to a friend in a bar or cafe.
    I sometimes hear/use "I'll treat you to this".
    ref #8 - I think two of them would be OK with a breath / comma before the "on me" bit. But the middle one is outright wrong.
     
    So when it comes to paying for something I might say:

    -Put your money away. It's my treat.
    -Put your money away. It's on me.

    right?
     
    OED:
    On (prepostition) 24. a. Indicating the person who or thing which is affected or exploited by an action, feeling, situation, etc., or towards whom it is directed; = upon

    1982 J. Simms Unsolicited Gift i. 38 I tested my new atheism on Miss X.

    But "the drinks are on me", originates with

    24 c. Of a cheque, draft, bill, etc.: payable by or at; = upon.
    1924 ‘Sapper’ Third Round i. 34 The required amount..is drawn on my private account, and I shall have to put in funds to meet it.

    Which came to mean "at the expense of"
    1939 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Ingleside vi. 33 The joke is on us... And a nice laugh he will have on me.
    1991 J. Barth Last Voy. Somebody the Sailor 106 Two Coke sodas!..Treat's on me.
     
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