Salute , cheers and Slainte..

If you are out on travel, journey, holiday etc. and are drinking a great whisky , you may
want to say cheers to the locals.
Here is a guide to you on how to say cheers in different countries.

Hầu như anh đàn ông nào cũng nói uống rượu vì công việc, vì đang
vui, đang buồn... xin giới thiệu một số câu chúc của các nước để thấy
quan niệm về việc uống rượu của họ thế nào.

Italia: Chin... chin!

Anh: Cheers! (Chúc sức khoẻ).
Pháp: A votre santé! (Vì sức khoẻ của bạn).
Đức: Zum whol! (Tiến tới sự thịnh vượng).
Thuỵ Điển: Scole! (Chúc sức khoẻ).
Tiệp Khắc (cũ): Na dravie! (Chúc sức khoẻ).
Việt Nam ta: Một, hai, ba... dzô! Một, hai, ba... dzô... Hahahaha
Năm Mới Tết đến, Nhậu thôi!

Country Remark / explanation

A
Kenya - hey is Jambo
Kikuyu (Kenya) Rathima andu atene
Africa
South African : There are 11 official languages English - cheers
Afrikaans - Gesondheid and try the word Amandla for the other 9
(Spanish - Latin American)
Agentina
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
America Cheers
Wisconsin that has very strong German roots and everyone toasts,
almost without fail; "Prost"
Gëzuar / Gezuar
Albanian
or Shëndeti tuaj
Arabic Fisehatak (to your health) / Shucram (United Arab Emirates)
Armenian Genatzt (or Genatset / Genatsoot ("Life"))
Asturian Gayola
Austrian / Austria Prosit - Prost (German) / Zum Wohl
Azerbaijani
Afiyæt oslun
Azerbaijani
AWA !!! klinke klanke glasset i bordet gentagne gange ...
AWA
et AWA i en sætning udløser en skål.
Australia Cheers, Cherio

Country Remark / explanation

B
Bahasa
Pro
(Indonesia)
Baluchi (Iran) Vashi
On egin
Basque
Topa
'Op uw gezondheid' is fine for the Flemish (Dutch speaking) part of the
country but for the other half, the French speaking people, it's the same
Belgian /
as for France 'A VOTRE SANTE', although there are of course many
Belgium
other expressions.
Thanx to Patricia WRIGHT (Belgium / French)
Belize (English)?
Bengali Joy
(Spanish - Latin America)
Bolivia
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
Bosnian Zivjeli
Saude, Viva
Brazilian
(Spain, France) Topa
Breton Yec'hed mat
Brunei
(Malay)?
Darussalam
Na zdrave (to your health)
Bulgarian
(Nazdrave ?)

Country Remark / explanation

C
Cheers
Canada

Caribbean ?
(Spanish)? Salut
Txin txin
Catalan (Spain)
Sant Hilari, Sant Hilari, fill de puta qui no se l'acabi
("Son of a bitch the one that does not finish the cup", vulgar)
 (Spanish - Latin American)
Chile
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
Chinese Nien Nien nu e. Kong Chien
Yung sing ("drink and win")
(Cantonese) Gom bui ("dry the cup")
Chinese Chinese Gan bei ("dry the cup")
Mandarin : Gan bei
or Kong chien.
(Spanish - Latin American)
Colombia
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
Cornish Yeghes da
"Pura Vida" (pure life) which they use for everything.
Thanks to : Dale Leatherman
Costa Rica
(See also : Spanish - Latin American : Salud y amor y tiempo para
disfrutarlo)
Creole Salud
Zivjeli (write a small v above the Z)
Croatian
Zivjeli / U zdravlje
Czech Na zdraví (to your health)
Czechoslovakian Na Zdravi, Nazdar

Country Remark / explanation

D
Denmark / Skaal / Skål
Danish / Dansk Bunden i vejret eller resten i håret (Bottoms up or the rest in your hair.)
Dominican
(Spanish - Latin American)
Republic
Proost. Proost, Geluk, or Gezondheid
Dutch (Flemish) Proost
Dutch Gezondheid (to your health)
(Netherlands) In pure dutch (netherlands) you should say, 'gezondheid' but more
(Belgium) common is 'proost'. Any othter expresion in any language can be and
will be used. As long as we can drink it will be OK.

Country Remark / explanation

E
Egyptian Fee sihetak
 Bisochtak
Esperanto Sanon
El Salvador (Spanish - Latin American)?
Cheers Cheerio (UK) - Lets toast
Here's mud in your eye (UK, vulgar)(expr. may be from Bible, John 9:1-
41)
English
Bottoms up (USA)
Down the hatch (vulgar)
Hey howdy (Arizona, informal)
Esperanto Je via sano (to your health) (constructed) Toston ("(I propose) a toast")
Tervist
Estonian (Teie) terviseks (to your health)
(Teie terviseks)
Ethiopia they says T'chen chen
Equador (Spanish - Latin American)

Country Remark / explanation

F
Farsi Ba'sal'a'ma'ti
Faroese /
Skál
Faeroese
Finnish (Suomi) "Kippis" is indeed a good translation for "cheers", being very informal.
Finland "Maljanne" translates approximately as "A toast to you [Sir]", the polite
form of address being implied by the suffix "nne". One might also say
"n malja!", meaning "A toast to !". To say that these forms are never
used in Finland is simply incorrect; their place is at a formal dinner
party, for example. "Pohjanmaan kautta" might possibly be derived from
a historical event: literally translated it means "By way of Ostrobothnia",
and Ostrobothnia is precisely the way by which Finnish Jäger troops of
the Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battalion came back from training in
Germany, to contribute to the victory of the "whites" in the Finnish Civil
War. On the other hand, it might simply be derived from the fact that
"Pohja" literally means bottom, therefore "Pohjanmaan kautta" means
"bottoms up". Also, while "terveydeksi" does mean "to your health", it is
to my knowledge used exclusively when someone sneezes, like
gesundheit or bless you. It might, however, appear as part of a more
elaborate toast.
Thank you to : Ilkka Poutanen
Kippis. Maljanne
Kippis is the most common way to say cheers but "maljanne" is very
 rear. It is very polite way to say your toast. That is never used in
Finland.
There is also "Hölkyn kölkyn". It doesn't mean anything but it sounds
funny. That is used when you want to be funny or if you want to make
foreign tourists to laugh.
"Pohjanmaan kautta" means bottoms up. Pohjanmaa is a large area in the
north west Finland. "Pohjanmaan kautta" is widely used E.g when you
drink vodka.
Thank you to Juha Nieminen
Kippis Terveydeksi (formal) (to your health)
A votre sante
French / France (À votre) santé (to your health) À la votre (response "And to yours")
À votre santé / Santé
Frisian Tsjoch (Netherlands)

Country Remark / explanation

G
Gaelic (Ireland) Sláinte (to your health)
Slaandjivaa (to your health) Slainte mhoiz
Gaelic (Scotland)
Slainte Mhor (Slainte vor) / Slainte Mhath
Galician (Spain) Saúde / Chinchín / Saúde
Georgian Vielen danke zu Dr.Wilram Tiemann :

Der Georgier sagt: "vakhtanguri", wir sagen "prost", der Engländer

"cheers" und der Däne "ska&ål". Dies ist nicht richtig. Der Georgier
sagt zu einer Gruppe vonm Menschen: "Gaumardschoss". Dies bedeutet:
"man möge siegen". Zu einer Einzelperson sagt der Georgier:
"Gagimardschoss", das soviel wie "du mögest siegen" bedeutet. Also in
kartuli ena (=georgischer Sprache) heißt "prost": Gaumardschoss.
Michail Saakaschwili oder Aduard Schewardnadse würden nie:
"vakhtaanguri" sagen . "vakhtanguri" sagen nur die im Landesteil
Gurian lebenden Menschen. Diese haben auch einen eigenen Dialekt.
Guria liegt im Südwesten von Georgien. Woher ich das alles weiß?
Meinen Freund, ein deutscher Offizier, der mehrere Jahre dort leben
mußte, wollte ich mit dem Wort " vakhtanguri" überraschen. Dann
wurde ich aufgeklärt. Mit freundlichen Grüßen und "prost" oder besser
"ska°l". Ihr Dr.Wilram Tiemann

Most common : Gagimardschoss / Gaumardschoss Only in some parts

of Georgien (Vakhtanguri)

German Prost (beer)

(Germany) Zum Wohl (wine) (to your health)
Hau weg den Scheiss (vulgar)
I would pretty much prefer the first (common) one as the second one is
never used at all. You should remove it. 'Gruss Got' is used to welcome a
person but not at all in the sense of 'cheers'.

From Stefan Brede

In Germany we have different ways to say "Cheers" or "Slainte",
depending on the kind of drink as well as on the occasion. For BEER:
"Prost!" (no matter at which occasion). For WINE: "Prost" with friends,
"Zum Wohl" in a more formal environment. For COCKTAILS: Here we
often use a toast, for example: "Auf uns!" (To us!) or "Auf Dich!" (To
you!). For SCHNAPS: Here we often say something like "Und weg!" or
"Hau' weg das Zeug!" (Down the hatch!), but "Prost!" is fine as well.
For WHISKY: We never say "Prost!" with Whisky. Rather, we use
"Cheers!" or a toast, like "Auf Schottland!" (To Scotland!).

Old info : Prosit. Auf ihr wohl - Gruß got. - Prost ?

Greek Eis Igian
Stin ijiasas
Jamas
Gia'sou
Greenlandic Kassutta ("Let our glasses meet")
Imeqatigiitta ("Let's drink together")
Kasugta
Guatemala (Spanish - Latin American)?
In Guyana, as well as Trinidad, the people speak english. So Cheers is
Guyana
the same in both those countries

Country Remark / explanation

Okole maluna
Hawaiian Okole malune
Hipahipa
L'chaim ("To life")
Hebrew
(Le'chaim)
Hindi Apki Lambi Umar Ke Liye
Holooe Kam-poe
Honduras (Spanish - Latin American)?
 Kedves egeszsegere
Hungarian Egészségedre (sing.) (to your health)
Egészségetekre (plur.) (to your health)

Country Remark / explanation

I
Icelandic Skál (Santanka nu)
Ido Ye vua saneso
Indian A la sature
Indonesia Pro ( They sometimes say tos (sounds like "toss" back that drink))
A vostre sanitate (to your health)
Interlingua
(constructed) A vostre salute
Sláinte (to your health)
In Northern Ireland (Ulster) there are three main offical languages :
English,Irish and Ulster-Scots
Ireland Cheers in Northern Ireland (Ulster) is Slainte! (to your health) in Irish
AND "Guid forder!" (good luck) in Ulster-Scots.
Thanx to Paul for information
Irish Gaelic (Sláinte)
Israel L'Chaim! (To Life!)
Cin cin (formal)
Italian / Italy
Salute (informal)

Country Remark / explanation

J
Japan / Nippon Kampai / Campai
Kampai. Banzai
Japanese / Japan
Japanese most used : Kampai
Jamaica ?

Country Remark / explanation

K
Kikuyu (Kenya) Rathima andu atene
Chukbae
Korean Kong gang ul wi ha yo
Konbe
Country Remark / explanation

L
Sanitas bona (to your health)
Latin Bene tibi
Latin American spanish : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
Latvian Uz veselibu (Prieka)
Kesak (sing.)
Lebanese
Keskun (plur.)
Liechtenstein (German)?
Lithuanian i sveikata (Not : I sueikata / Thank you Paulius)
Lithuanian buk sveikas (Not: I sveikas / Thanks to Paulius)
Luxembourg (French) ?

Country Remark / explanation

M
Na zdravje! (to your health). (Thanks to Natasha)
Macedonian

Malay
(Brunei Darussalam)?

In Malaysia the language is "Bahasa Melayu" (meaning "malay

language"). As "Basaha Malaysia" it has been brought in line with
Indonesian and the two are very similar now.
Malaysia Experience from the Eastern Malaysia in Sarawak, Borneo where for a
toast they would simply say "Minum!". Which means "drink!". Simple
but effective.

Cheers
Maltese
Aviva (old fashioned)
Kia Ora is a Maori greeting, the equivalent of 'Hello'
Maori In general New Zealanders tend to emulate the Australians, they say
'Cheers' too. (See New Zealand as well for further information)
Mexican /
Salud (Spanish - Latin American)
Mexico
Monaco (French)?
Moroccan /
Saha wa'afiab
Marokko

Country Remark / explanation

N
Netherland See Dutch
Kia Ora is a Maori greeting, the equivalent of 'Hello'
In general New Zealanders tend to emulate the Australians, they say
'Cheers' too.
'Cheerio' generally means 'Goodbye'
Thanx to Graeme Buckley
As a kiwi I just wanted to add to your section on how to toast New
New Zealand
Zealand style. Kia Ora is a greeting as you say but means a little more
than hello - it means 'good health' and is used in many contexts. Also
while we do say cheers this is derives from our mostly English heritage
rather than being an 'emulation' of Australians. To say the latter is
actually a teeny bit insulting!
Thank you to Wendy
Nicaragua (Spanish - Latin American)
Norwegian Skal
(Nynorsk) Skål

Country Remark / explanation

O
Occitan A la vòstra

Country Remark / explanation

P
Pakistani Sanda bashi
Panama (Spanish - Latin American)
Paraguay (Spanish - Latin American)
(Be) salam ati (to your health) Nush ("Enjoy it, and let it be part of your
Persian (Iran)
body")
Paru (Spanish - Latin American)
Philippines Mabuhay
 Na zdrowie. Vivat
Polish
Na zdrowie (to your health)
A sia saide
Portuguese
Brazil (Portuguese)
Saude (to your health)
Tchim-tchim
Portuguese
Saúde (Brazil)(to your health)
Tim-tim (Brazil)
Puerto Rico (Spanish - Latin American)

Country Remark / explanation

Q
Quatar Hmmm alcohol is not alowed here..

Country Remark / explanation

R
Rhaeto-Romanic Viva
Romanian Noroc ("Good luck")
No one says "Na zdorovje" as a Russian drinking cheer.
This is increadibly widespread myth. It does mean "To you health", but
they only sayy it as a reply to "Spasibo"
i.e. "Thank you".
Furthermore, there is no universal drinking cheer in Russian, however
paradoxal it might sound.
Russian (CCCP) Sometimes they say "Budem zdorovy" meaning "Let's stay healthy".
Which sometimes is shortened to just "Budem" (see Ukranian version).
or "Chtob vse byli zdorovy", i.e. "Let everybody be healthy". Thanks to
Dmitry

Old index: Na zdorovje (to your health), Vashe zdorovie or Na zdorovia

(Not used !)

Country Remark / explanation

S
Sesotho Nqa
Scotland Slainte
or Slainte Mhor (even more)
Toast ir Cheers in Scotland is Slainte Mhath! (Good Health). The
 response is Slainte Mhor! (Great Health).
Scottish Slainte. Here's tae ye
Zivio Ziveli - In Serbian, cheers is 'Ziveli', pronounced 'zjee-ve-lee',
Serbian meaning 'Let's live long!'
(Old : Zivjeli / U zdravlje)
Slovak
Na zdravie (to your health) / Stolicka! [stolitschka]
(Slovakia)
Slovenian Na zdravje (to your health)
Somalian Auguryo
There are 11 official languages English - cheers Afrikaans - Gesondheid
South African
and try the word Amandla for the other 9
(Afrikaans)
Gesondheid (to your health)
Salud
Chin chin
amor y
Spanish "Salud" although it can be used as a toast, it literally means "Health".
Salud is also said when someone sneezes.
Arriba, abajo, al centro, para adentro ("Up, down, center, inside",
vulgar)
Spanish Latin
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
American
Sri Lanka
Seiradewa
(Sinhala)
Suomi (Finland) see Finnish
Swahili Afya / Vifijo
Svenska / Skål - Skaal
Swedish Helan går (Everything goes)
Swahili Maisha marefu - good life or cheers ( Afya! Vifijo! )
As you might know, there are 4 language-parts in Switzerland
(Swissgerman, French, Italian, and Rätoromanisch) But that's not all,
there are also a lot of diffrent dialects here. I'm living in the german part
Switzerland /
and speak a dialect called "Bärndütsch", so here we go: Cheers =
Swiss
Proscht, Zum Wohl, Gsundheit (the last two means to your health). For
the other dialects it's mostly the same, only the accent changs a little bit.
Thanx to Chrigu

Country Remark / explanation

T
Tagalog Mabuhay ("Long life")
(Philippines)
Choc-tee
Thai /Thailand hallo or hey : Sawadekaa - (to male) Sawadekap (Female)
Chook-die / Sawasdi
Serefe (write cedille under S) ("To honor")
Sagligina (sing.) (write bars over g's, remove dots over i's) (to your
Turkish
health)
Sagliginiza (plur. or polite) (to your health)
In Trinidad, as well as Guyana, the people speak english.
Trinidad
So Cheers is the same in both those countries

Country Remark / explanation

U
In Ukraine we say 'Budmo!'. This means approximately 'shall we live
forever!' Usually, one person says 'Budmo!' and everybody at the
table/party answers 'Hey!' (the meaning is straightforward). This repeats
Ukrainian for up to 3 times depending on the mood of the crowd. Only then,
everybody empties their glasses.
Thank you to : Olena Linnyk.
(Old : Na zdorov'ya)
United Arab
Shucram
Emirates (Arab)
United Kingdom Cheers
United States of
America Cheers (se also American)
/USA
Urdu (Pakistan) Djam
Uruguay (Spanish - Latin American)
Hoshe (Cheers)
Uyghur Salametlikingiz ucun (For your health)
Thank you to : Memet Tursun Zunun

Country Remark / explanation

V
Venezuela (Spanish - Latin American)
Vietnamese Chia
 Can chén (write dot under a) (North V.N.)
Can ly (write dot under a) (South V.N.)

Country Remark / explanation

W
Iechyd da
Welsh
Iechyd da
Wales (Welsh)

Country Remark / explanation

Country Remark / explanation

Y
Yiddish Mazel
Lechaym (Lechaim)
tov
Yugoslavian Ziveo / Ziveli (Though country is split up now word is still in use.)

Country Remark / explanation

Z
Zulu Oogy wawa (ooggywawa or oogywawa)