"Mon père a un bar."

Translation: My father has a bar.

[mghaz]

Is there a reason that 'My dad has a bar' won't work here?

[Sitesurf]

"my dad has a bar" is "mon papa a un bar"

[-TashaJ-]

It should work. That's exactly what I typed and it was correct.

[WilliamKer4]

Does this mean the father owns a place to sell beer or he has an iron rod?

[Sitesurf]

an iron rod = une barre / une tige de fer.

[flint72]

Moreover, does this mean that he owns a building where alcohol may be served (a pub/ public house in British-English)?

Usually there is a distinction in British-English between "a pub "(the whole building and business) versus "a bar" (a counter inside the building where one may order alcohol).

Even more confusingly, in recent years people have started referring to certain types of places where alcohol is served as "bars". These are usually more expensive upmarket places which often serve cocktails.

[Roody-Roo]

In France, a bar can mean an establishment that sells alcoholic beverages.

[Khristafer]

I had this same phrase, like, 8 times in a row. Did I do something wrong?! XP

[JesusLivesInMe]

I almost wrote, "My father is a bar."

Whoops!

[Linda745832]

Pub marked wrong.