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Whether you’re clinking glasses in Brasília, sipping wine in Rome, or sharing a drink in Seoul, knowing how to say cheers in the local language is a fun way to break the ice. Impress your new friends with these ways to say cheers in 50 different languages.
So, pour yourself a glass, and let’s dive in:
How to say cheers in Asia
Did you know? Women were the first beer brewers. Ancient Sumer (modern-day Iraq) was one of the earliest civilizations to brew beer. And women were the main producers of the drink. In fact, Sumerian beer culture was centered around Ninkasi, the goddess of water, beer, fertility, and creation. Her name literally means “Mistress of Brewing.”
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Burmese | ဒို့အတူယမကာ | doe ah-too ya-ma |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 干杯 | gan bay |
| Japanese | 乾杯 (translates to ‘dry the glass’) | kan-pie |
| Korean | 건배 | gun bae |
| Mongolian | уух болох гэсэн | uukh bolokh gesen |
| Russian | За здоровье | za zda-ro-vye |
| Thai | ชนแก้ว | chon kaew |
| Urdu | چیئرز | cheers |
| Vietnamese | Dô | doh |
How to raise a glass in Africa
Did you know? With an incredible 850 kilometers of road, the Cape Winelands in South Africa is undoubtedly the longest wine route in the world.
Route 62 runs from Cape Town to Gqeberha (or vice versa) and goes right through the beautiful Karoo desert. Along the way, it passes 200 wine cellars and countless vineyards and wineries in places like Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, and Robertson.
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Arabic (Egyptian) | في صحتك (translates to ‘good luck’) | fee sih-tak |
| Hausa | Don faranta zuciya (translates to ‘to please the heart’) | donfaran tazu chia |
| Igbo | Ṅụọ nke ọma | ngôôôông coma |
| Shona | Masimirembwa | ma-see-mee-rem-bwa |
| Swahili | Maisha marefu (translates to ‘long life’) | ma-eesha ma-efu |
| Twi | Anogyeɛ | ano-gee-eh |
| Xhosa | Impilo | impēēlo |
| Yoruba | Àláfíà (translates to ‘peace’) | alaa-ffia |
| Zulu | Bajabule | baya-bulay |
How to toast across North America
Did you know? The US state of Louisiana is famous for its drive-thru Daiquiri stores, a phenomenon that started in 1982. Simply put, these are fast-food types of windows where you can order up to a gallon (3.8 liters) of alcohol slushy.
While this sounds pretty reckless and counterintuitive, the state does have open-container laws to prevent drunk driving. Basically, as long as your straw doesn’t pierce the lid of your cup, your drink stays ‘closed,’ and you’re good to drive.
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Cherokee | ᎠᏏᏳ | a-see-yoo |
| Chuj | to ‘alégre smuknajih (translates to ‘He’ll be buried happily’) | to ‘alaygre smuk’najeeh |
| Haitian Creole | Ochan or Santé | o-chan or santay |
| Inuktitut | ᐃᓅᓯᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅ | inoohi’catsiak |
| Nahuatl | ma ixpāntzinco | |
| Navajo | daʼohdlą́ | |
| Ojibwa | minobiidaa | |
| Western Apache | axooay |
How to say cheers in South America
Did you know? The national spirit of Peru – and a real South American favorite – is Pisco, an unaged brandy made from grapes. Produced in Peru and Chile, the drink is similar to Cognac and grappa and has an overall smooth feel.
In 2019, the brandy even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records when 899 people attended the largest Pisco tasting to date.
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Aymara | janiw khuyapaykiti | |
| Dutch (Surinams) | Proost | prost |
| Guarani | Mburichiko | mbu-ree-chee-ko |
| Portuguese (Brazilian) | Saúde | saw-oo-day |
| Quechua | ñawi kawsay | |
| Spanish | Salud | sah-lud |
How to raise a glass in Europe
Did you know? The French take toasting very seriously and will get upset if you don’t follow their simple rules. For instance, you must always look the other person in the eyes when toasting and never add ice to your glass of wine. Also, if you want to avoid seven years of bad sex, you must always take a sip after a toast.
In fact, the seven-years-of-bad-sex superstition applies to a few other European countries as well. If you want to avoid the curse in Spain, for example, you must toast with a proper (alcoholic) drink, never with water.
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Bosnian | Živjeli | zhee-vi-lee |
| Czech | Na zdraví | naz-drah vi |
| Danish | Skål | skoal |
| French | Santé | sahn-tay |
| Gaelic (Irish) | Sláinte | slawn-cha |
| German | Prost or Zum wohl | prohst tsum vohl |
| Hungarian | Egészségedre (translates to ‘to your health’) or Fenékig (translates to ‘until the bottom of the glass’) | egg-esh ay-ged-reh fehn-eh-keg |
| Icelandic | Skál | sk-owl |
| Italian | Cin cin or Salute | chin chin saw-lutay |
| Romanian | Noroc or sanatate | no-rock sahn-atate |
How to toast across Oceania
Did you know? The vibrant colors of Hawaii are thought to have inspired many a tropical cocktail. Among those especially popular are the Blue Hawaii, Chi Chi, Lava Flow, Mai Tai, and Piña colada.
| Language | How to say cheers | How to pronounce it |
| Chamorro (Guam) | Biba | bih-bah |
| Fijian | Bula | boolah |
| Hawaiian | Å’kålè ma’luna | okole maluna |
| Hiri Motu | Haisin | haysin |
| Maori | Kia ora | kee’a ora |
| Samoan | Manuia | manoo’ia |
| Tahitian | Manuia | manoo’ia |
| Tok Pisin | Amamas long | amamas long |
Final note
Always remember to use these expressions responsibly. In some languages, if you pronounce something slightly wrong – even when you can’t hear it – you’re saying something else. Do try, but approach it carefully.
Useful resources
- Omniglot – how to say cheers in many languages
- Choctaw dictionary – comprehensive Choctaw wordlist
- A Rai of Light
- The Traveling Moore
