How to say cheers / slainte in different countries
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Slainte/cheers in different languages / countries
Salute, Skål, 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. |
Country | Remark / explanation |
B | |
Bahasa (Indonesia) | Pro |
Baluchi (Iran) | Vashi |
Basiksk | Cheers or ? |
Basque | On egin Topa |
Belgian / Belgium | '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 as for France 'A VOTRE SANTE', although there are of course many other expressions. Thanx to Patricia WRIGHT (Belgium / French) |
Belize | (English)? |
Bengali |
Joy চিয়ার্স |
Bolivia | (Spanish - Latin America) Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo |
Bosnian | Zivjeli |
Brazilian | Saude, Viva (Spain, France) Topa |
Breton | Yec'hed mat |
Brunei Darussalam | (Malay)? |
Bulgarian |
Na zdrave (to your health) наздраве |
Country | Remark / explanation |
C | |
Canada |
Cheers |
Cape Verde | You can say "salud" or "ching-ching" there for cheers |
Caribbean | ? |
Catalan (Spain) | (Spanish)? Salut Txin txin 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) |
Chile | (Spanish - Latin American) Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo |
Chinese | Nien Nien nu e. Kong Chien |
Chinese | Yung sing ("drink and win") (Cantonese) Gom bui ("dry the cup") Chinese Gan bei ("dry the cup") Mandarin : Gan bei or Kong chien. |
Colombia | (Spanish - Latin American) Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo |
Cornish | Yeghes da |
Costa Rica | "Pura Vida" (pure life) which they use for everything. Thanks to : Dale Leatherman (See also : Spanish - Latin American : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo) |
Creole | Salud |
Croatian | Zivjeli (write a small v above the Z) Zivjeli / U zdravlje |
Czech | Na zdraví (to your health) |
Czechoslovakian | Na Zdravi, Nazdar |
Country | Remark / explanation |
D | |
Denmark / Danish / Dansk | Skaal / Skål Bunden i vejret eller resten i håret (Bottoms up or the rest in your hair.) |
Dominican Republic | (Spanish - Latin American) |
Dutch (Netherlands) (Belgium) |
Proost. Proost, Geluk, or Gezondheid Dutch (Flemish) Proost Gezondheid (to your health) In pure dutch (netherlands) you should say, 'gezondheid' but more 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)? |
English | Cheers Cheerio (UK) - Lets toast Here's mud in your eye (UK, vulgar)(expr. may be from Bible, John 9:1-41) Bottoms up (USA) Down the hatch (vulgar) Hey howdy (Arizona, informal) |
Esperanto | Je via sano (to your health) (constructed) Toston ("(I propose) a toast") |
Estonian | Tervist (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 / Faeroese | Skál |
Fiji Islands |
They simply say BULA! to everything, including hello, cheers and thank you. (Ulrika/Ireland) It Means : Good Health, Long Live. (Thanks to Ross from Fiji) |
Finnish (Suomi) Finland |
"Kippis" is indeed a good translation for "cheers", being very informal. "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) |
French / France | A votre sante (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) |
Gaelic (Scotland) | Slaandjivaa (to your health) Slainte mhoiz 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 (Germany) |
Prost (beer) A common Dutch way to say cheers. In some student associations we use "goedemorgen" (litteraly: good morning) or simply "morgen". Many |
Greek | Eis Igian Stin ijiasas Jamas Gia'sou |
Greenlandic | Kassutta ("Let our glasses meet") Imeqatigiitta ("Let's drink together") Kasugta |
Guatemala | (Spanish - Latin American)? |
Guyana | In Guyana, as well as Trinidad, the people speak english. So Cheers is the same in both those countries |
Country | Remark / explanation |
H | |
Hawaiian | Okole maluna Okole malune Hipahipa |
Hebrew | L'chaim ("To life") (Le'chaim) |
Hindi | Apki Lambi Umar Ke Liye |
Holooe | Kam-poe |
Honduras | (Spanish - Latin American)? |
Hungarian | Kedves egeszsegere Egészségedre (sing.) (to your health) Egészségetekre (plur.) (to your health) |
Country | Remark / explanation |
I | |
Icelandic | Skál (Santanka nu) |
Ido | Ye vua saneso |
Indian |
From Sam (Punjabi).. we usually say "chak dey" ..(very informal) translated means bottoms up... Some said "A la sature" - Hey, in my 26 years of being in India, I have never heard the expression "A la sature"! The rest of us just stared at him with a blank expression. He was embarassed, and he said he'd learnt it from this site. |
Indonesia | Pro ( They sometimes say tos (sounds like "toss" back that drink)) |
Interlingua | A vostre sanitate (to your health) (constructed) A vostre salute |
Ireland | Sláinte (to your health) In Northern Ireland (Ulster) there are three main offical languages : English,Irish and Ulster-Scots 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!) |
Italian / Italy | Cin cin (formal) Salute (informal) |
Country | Remark / explanation |
J | |
Japan / Nippon | Kampai / Campai |
Japanese / Japan Japansk Nippon Nihon |
Kampai. Banzai
|
Jamaica | ? |
Country | Remark / explanation |
K | |
Kikuyu (Kenya) |
Rathima andu atene cheers in kisuaheli for east africa |
Korean | Chukbae Kong gang ul wi ha yo Konbe |
Country | Remark / explanation |
L | |
Latin | Sanitas bona (to your health) Bene tibi Latin American spanish : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo |
Latvian | Uz veselibu (Prieka) |
Lebanese | Kesak (sing.) Keskun (plur.) |
Liechtenstein |
In Liechtenstein you can use "Prosch" or "Zum Wohl"
|
Lithuanian | i sveikata (Not : I sueikata / Thank you Paulius) |
Lithuanian | buk sveikas (Not: I sveikas / Thanks to Paulius) |
Luxembourg | in luxembugish for cheers you say Prost or Gesondheet |
Country | Remark / explanation |
M | |
Macedonian |
Na zdravje! (to your health). (Thanks to Natasha) The non existed "Macedonian" language. Macedonia is a region in the |
Malay | (Brunei Darussalam)? |
Malaysia | 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. Experience from the Eastern Malaysia in Sarawak, Borneo where for a toast they would simply say "Minum!". Which means "drink!". Simple but effective. |
Maltese |
Sahha (Cheers) Thanx to Julie Anne Meaney : |
Maori |
Kia Ora is a Maori greeting, the equivalent of 'Hello' (From Quinn /Auckland) Myself as well as other Maoris here say : Chur or chur bro when saying cheers or thank you :D |
Mexican / Mexico | Salud (Spanish - Latin American) |
Monaco | (French)? |
Moroccan / Marokko | Saha wa'afiab |
Country | Remark / explanation |
N | |
Netherland | See Dutch |
Nepal | There really isn't a word or phrase. One could exclaim "La!" which is sort of a general exclamation sound made upon or just after an event. Drinking any sort of alcoholic beverage or toasts not really a part of traditional Nepalese culture, though they are adopting many Western customs |
New Zealand |
Kia Ora is a Maori greeting, the equivalent of 'Hello' As far as the greeting kia ora is concerned this is merely a maori way of saying hello which is not used at all by other cultures and in no way a form of saying "cheers". the maoris |
Nicaragua |
(Spanish - Latin American) |
Norwegian (Nynorsk) | Skal Skål |
Country | Remark / explanation |
O | |
Occitan | A la vòstra |
Country | Remark / explanation |
P | |
Pakistani | Sanda bashi |
Panama | (Spanish - Latin American) |
Paraguay | (Spanish - Latin American) |
Persian (Iran) | (Be) salam ati (to your health) Nush ("Enjoy it, and let it be part of your body") |
Paru | (Spanish - Latin American) |
Philippines | Mabuhay |
Polish | Na zdrowie. Vivat Na zdrowie (to your health) |
Portuguese |
"Saúde" or (A sia saide ?) Brazil (Portuguese) |
Portuguese | Saude (to your health) Tchim-tchim 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") |
Russian (CCCP) |
No one says "Na zdorovje" as a Russian drinking cheer. No one believe's in what said in Russia anymore. (2022) Some say several Russians who say Na zdorovje as a toast, including a former KGB agent. |
Country | Remark / explanation |
T | |
Tagalog | Mabuhay ("Long life") |
(Philippines) | |
Tanzania | kisuaheli for east africa Tansania (and Kenya, Uganda).: maisha marefu...(long life) |
Thai /Thailand |
Choc-tee ( Chai-Yo ) This is incorrect, as the suffix "kaa" and "kap" are not relative to whom you are Thai phrases above in "cheers" section mean "Hi!, How are you going!" The word I have heard for "Cheers!" in Thailand is "Chayoo!" - also the last word of the national anthem, incidentally - which is like a kind of battle cry. Chai-Yo |
Turkish | Serefe (write cedille under S) ("To honor") Sagligina (sing.) (write bars over g's, remove dots over i's) (to your health) Sagliginiza (plur. or polite) (to your health) |
Trinidad | In Trinidad, as well as Guyana, the people speak english. So Cheers is the same in both those countries |
Country | Remark / explanation |
U | |
Uganda |
kisuaheli for east africa - Uganda ,Tansania/Tanzania, Kenya..: maisha marefu...(long life) |
Ukrainian | 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 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 Emirates (Arab) |
Shucram In Arabic, "Shukran" means 'thank you'. I have never heard "shucram" being used. |
United Kingdom | Cheers |
United States of America /USA |
Cheers (se also American) |
Urdu (Pakistan) | Djam |
Uruguay | (Spanish - Latin American) |
Uyghur | Hoshe (Cheers) 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.) |
Uzbekistan | "In Vino Veritas" was a popular toast. Translated from Latin means "Truth in Wine" |
Country | Remark / explanation |
W | |
Welsh | Iechyd da Iechyd da |
Wales | (Welsh) |
Country | Remark / explanation |
X |
Country | Remark / explanation |
Y | |
Yiddish Mazel tov | Lechaym (Lechaim) |
Yugoslavian | Ziveo / Ziveli (Though country is split up now word is still in use.) |
Country | Remark / explanation |
Z | |
Zimbbabwe | ? |
Zulu | Oogy wawa (ooggywawa or oogywawa) |
If you didn't find what you were looking for, missed info ? - perhaps you should try out a search engine , the ultimative whisky link pages or perhaps even try to read a good old book about whisky. This page is currently very much under construction - if we missed a cheers in your language Im sorry... (My mail is spammed up so im unable to get new info from users at present time..) Do me a favour kill spamers |