CHEERS! Here’s to you! Bottom’s up! The clinking of glasses can help cement friendships and celebrate new ones — it’s an expression of goodwill and one that every traveler should know.

So raise your glass to the Matador editors, to the tourism bureaus, and to the hostels around the world that helped me put together our collection of how to say “Cheers!” in 50 languages.

Remember to use these responsibly — in some countries, drinking is illegal. There may also be some regional and formality variations in pronunciation, but these should get the job done!

A – E

Language Spelling Phonetic Pronunciation
Afrikaans Gesondheid Ge-sund-hate
Albanian Gëzuar Geh-zoo-ah
Arabic (Egypt) فى صحتك: (literally “good luck”) Fe sahetek
Armenian (Western) Կէնաձդ Genatzt
Azerbaijani Nuş olsun Nush ohlsun
Bosnian Živjeli Zhee-vi-lee
Bulgarian Наздраве Naz-dra-vey
Burmese Aung myin par say Au-ng my-in par say
Catalan Salut Sah-lut
Chamorro (Guam) Biba Bih-bah
Chinese (Mandarin) 干杯
gān bēi 		Gan bay
Croatian Živjeli / Nazdravlje Zhee-ve-lee / Naz-dra-vlee
Czech Na zdravi Naz-drah vi
Danish Skål Skoal
Dutch Proost Prohst
Estonian Terviseks Ter-vih-sex

 

how to say cheers

Photo: Yutacar

F – M

Language Spelling Phonetic Pronunciation
Filipino/Tagalog Mabuhay Mah-boo-hay
Finnish Kippis Kip-piss
French Santé / A la votre Sahn-tay / Ah la vo-tre
Galician Salud Saw-lood
German Prost / Zum wohl Prohst / Tsum vohl
Greek ΥΓΕΙΑ Yamas
Hawaiian Å’kålè ma’luna Okole maluna
Hebrew לחיים L’chaim
Hungarian Egészségedre (to your health)
or
Fenékig (until the bottom of the glass)		 Egg-esh ay-ged-reh
or
Fehn-eh-keg
Icelandic Skál Sk-owl
Irish Gaelic Sláinte Slawn-cha
Italian Salute / Cin cin Saw-lutay / Chin chin
Japanese 乾杯
Kanpai (Dry the glass) 		Kan-pie
Korean 건배 Gun bae
Latvian Priekā / Prosit Pree-eh-ka / Proh-sit
Lithuanian į sveikatą Ee sweh-kata
Macedonian На здравје Na zdravye
Mongolian Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө / Tulgatsgaaya ErUHl mehdiin toloo / Tul-gats-gAH-ya

 

N – Z

Language Spelling Phonetic Pronunciation
Norwegian Skål Skawl
Polish Na zdrowie Naz-droh-vee-ay
Portuguese Saúde Saw-OO-de
Romanian Noroc / Sanatate No-rock / Sahn-atate
Russian Будем здоровы / На здоровье Budem zdorovi/ Na zdorovie
Serbian živeli Zhee-ve-lee
Slovak Na zdravie Naz-drah-vee-ay
Slovenian Na zdravje (literally “on health”) Naz-drah-vee
Spanish Salud Sah-lud
Swedish Skål Skawl
Thai Chok dee Chok dee
Turkish Şerefe Sher-i-feh
Ukranian будьмо Boodmo
Vietnamese Dô / Vô / Một hai ba, yo (one, two, three, yo) Jou / Dzo/ Moat hi bah, yo
Welsh Iechyd da Yeh-chid dah
Yiddish Sei gesund Say geh-sund

 

Know how to say “Cheers!” in a language that’s not on the list? Please leave a comment below!

Explore the world party scene with 101 PLACES TO GET F*CKED UP BEFORE YOU DIE. Part travel guide, part drunken social commentary, 101 Places to Get F*cked Up Before You Die may have some of the most hilarious scenes and straight-up observations of youth culture of any book you’ve ever read.

More like this

EntertainmentWhat bartenders actually think of your drink order