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Alternative Whisky Academy presents :
How to say cheers / slainte in different countries
Slainte in different languages

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - To the Bottom


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.
Latest updated page with guide on how to say cheers can be found here -> http://www.awa.dk/index.php/how-to-say-cheers

Country Remark / explanation
A
AfricaKenya - hey is Jambo
Kikuyu (Kenya) Rathima andu atene
South African : There are 11 official languages English - cheers Afrikaans - Gesondheid and try the word Amandla for the other 9
Agentina(Spanish - Latin American)
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
AmericaCheers
Wisconsin that has very strong German roots and everyone toasts, almost without fail; "Prost"
AlbanianGëzuar / Gezuar
or Shëndeti tuaj
ArabicFisehatak (to your health) / Shucram (United Arab Emirates)
ArmenianGenatzt (or Genatset / Genatsoot ("Life"))
AsturianGayola
Austrian / AustriaProsit - Prost : \L\1erman) / Zum Wohl
Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani
Afiyæt oslun
AWAAWA !!! klinke klanke glasset i bordet gentagne gange ...
et AWA i en sætning udløser en skål.
AustraliaCheers ? Cherio
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Country Remark / explanation
B
Bahasa (Indonesia)Pro
Baluchi (Iran)Vashi
BasqueOn 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: \L\1nglish)?
BengaliJoy
Bolivia(Spanish - Latin America)
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
BosnianZivjeli
BrazilianSaude, Viva
(Spain, France) Topa
BretonYec'hed mat
Brunei Darussalam(Malay)?
BulgarianNa zdrave (to your health)
(Nazdrave ?)
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Country Remark / explanation
C
CanadaCheers
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
ChineseNien Nien nu e. Kong Chien
ChineseYung 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
CornishYeghes da
Costa Rica"Pura Vida" : \L\1ure life) which they use for everything.
Thanks to : Dale Leatherman
(See also : Spanish - Latin American : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo)
CreoleSalud
CroatianZivjeli : \L\1rite a small v above the Z)
Zivjeli / U zdravlje
CzechNa zdraví (to your health)
CzechoslovakianNa Zdravi, Nazdar
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Country Remark / explanation
D
Denmark / Danish / DanskSkaal / 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.
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Country Remark / explanation
E
EgyptianFee sihetak
Bisochtak
EsperantoSanon
El Salvador(Spanish - Latin American)?
EnglishCheers Cheerio (UK) - Lets toast
Here's mud in your eye (UK, vulgar): \L\1xpr. may be from Bible, John 9:1-41)
Bottoms up (USA)
Down the hatch (vulgar)
Hey howdy (Arizona, informal)
EsperantoJe via sano (to your health) (constructed) Toston ("(I propose) a toast")
EstonianTervist
(Teie) terviseks (to your health)
(Teie terviseks)
Ethiopiathey says T'chen chen
Equador(Spanish - Latin American)
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Country Remark / explanation
F
FarsiBa'sal'a'ma'ti
Faroese / FaeroeseSkál
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 / FranceA votre sante
(À votre) santé (to your health) À la votre (response "And to yours")
? votre sant? / Sant?
FrisianTsjoch (Netherlands)
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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 / Chinch?n / Sa?de
GeorgianVielen 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 : \L\1georgischer 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 : \L\1ermany)Prost (beer)
Zum Wohl : \L\1ine) (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 ?
GreekEis Igian
Stin ijiasas
Jamas
Gia'sou
GreenlandicKassutta ("Let our glasses meet")
Imeqatigiitta ("Let's drink together")
Kasugta
Guatemala(Spanish - Latin American)?
GuyanaIn Guyana, as well as Trinidad, the people speak english. So Cheers is the same in both those countries
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Country Remark / explanation
H
HawaiianOkole maluna
Okole malune
Hipahipa
HebrewL'chaim ("To life")
(Le'chaim)
HindiApki Lambi Umar Ke Liye
HolooeKam-poe
Honduras(Spanish - Latin American)?
HungarianKedves egeszsegere
Egészségedre (sing.) (to your health)
Egészségetekre : \L\1lur.) (to your health)
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Country Remark / explanation
I
IcelandicSkál (Santanka nu)
IdoYe vua saneso
IndianA la sature
IndonesiaPro ( They sometimes say tos (sounds like "toss" back that drink))
InterlinguaA vostre sanitate (to your health)
(constructed) A vostre salute
IrelandSláinte (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!" : \L\1ood luck) in Ulster-Scots.
Thanx to Paul for information
Irish Gaelic (Sl?inte)
IsraelL'Chaim! (To Life!)
Italian / ItalyCin cin (formal)
Salute (informal)
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Country Remark / explanation
J
Japan / NipponKampai / Campai
Japanese / JapanKampai. Banzai
Japanese most used : Kampai
Jamaica?
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Country Remark / explanation
K
Kikuyu (Kenya)Rathima andu atene
KoreanChukbae
Kong gang ul wi ha yo
Konbe
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Country Remark / explanation
L
LatinSanitas bona (to your health)
Bene tibi
Latin American spanish : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
LatvianUz veselibu : \L\1rieka)
LebaneseKesak (sing.)
Keskun : \L\1lur.)
Liechtenstein: \L\1erman)?
Lithuaniani sveikata (Not : I sueikata / Thank you Paulius)
Lithuanianbuk sveikas (Not: I sveikas / Thanks to Paulius)
Luxembourg(French) ?
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Country Remark / explanation
M
MacedonianNa zdravje! (to your health). (Thanks to Natasha)
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.
MalteseCheers
Aviva (old fashioned)
MaoriKia Ora is a Maori greeting, the equivalent of 'Hello'
In general New Zealanders tend to emulate the Australians, they say 'Cheers' too. (See New Zealand as well for further information)
Mexican / MexicoSalud (Spanish - Latin American)
Monaco(French)?
Moroccan / MarokkoSaha wa'afiab
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Country Remark / explanation
N
NetherlandSee Dutch
New ZealandKia 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 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 (Nynorsk)Skal
Skål
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Country Remark / explanation
O
OccitanA la v?stra
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Country Remark / explanation
P
PakistaniSanda 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)
PhilippinesMabuhay
PolishNa zdrowie. Vivat
Na zdrowie (to your health)
PortugueseA sia saide
Brazil : \L\1ortuguese)
PortugueseSaude (to your health)
Tchim-tchim
Saúde (Brazil)(to your health)
Tim-tim (Brazil)
Puerto Rico(Spanish - Latin American)
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Country Remark / explanation
Q
QuatarHmmm alcohol is not alowed here..
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Country Remark / explanation
R
Rhaeto-RomanicViva
RomanianNoroc ("Good luck")
Russian (CCCP)SORRY, but at present time - we do not whish to say cheers ...
due to the situation in Ukraine.
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.
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 !)
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Country Remark / explanation
S
SesothoNqa
Scotland Slainte
or Slainte Mhor : \L\1ven more)
Toast ir Cheers in Scotland is Slainte Mhath! : \L\1ood Health). The response is Slainte Mhor! : \L\1reat Health).
ScottishSlainte. Here's tae ye
SerbianZivio Ziveli - In Serbian, cheers is 'Ziveli', pronounced 'zjee-ve-lee', meaning 'Let's live long!'
(Old : Zivjeli / U zdravlje)
Slovak
(Slovakia)
Na zdravie (to your health) / Stolicka! [stolitschka]
SlovenianNa zdravje (to your health)
SomalianAuguryo
South African (Afrikaans)There are 11 official languages English - cheers Afrikaans - Gesondheid and try the word Amandla for the other 9
Gesondheid (to your health)
SpanishSalud
Chin chin
amor y
"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 AmericanSalud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo
Sri Lanka (Sinhala)Seiradewa
Suomi (Finland)see Finnish
SwahiliAfya / Vifijo
Svenska / Swedish Skål - Skaal
Helan går : \L\1verything goes)
SwahiliMaisha marefu - good life or cheers ( Afya! Vifijo! )
Switzerland / SwissAs 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 and speak a dialect called "Bärndütsch", so here we go: Cheers = 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
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Country Remark / explanation
T
TagalogMabuhay ("Long life")
: \L\1hilippines)
Thai /ThailandChoc-tee
hallo or hey : Sawadekaa - (to male) Sawadekap (Female)
Chook-die / Sawasdi
TurkishSerefe : \L\1rite cedille under S) ("To honor")
Sagligina (sing.) : \L\1rite bars over g's, remove dots over i's) (to your health)
Sagliginiza : \L\1lur. or polite) (to your health)
TrinidadIn Trinidad, as well as Guyana, the people speak english.
So Cheers is the same in both those countries
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Country Remark / explanation
U
UkrainianIn 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.

Будьмо
Thank you to : Olena Linnyk.
(Old : Na zdorov'ya)
United Arab Emirates (Arab)Shucram
United KingdomCheers
United States of America
/USA
Cheers (se also American)
Urdu : \L\1akistan)Djam
Uruguay(Spanish - Latin American)
UyghurHoshe (Cheers)
Salametlikingiz ucun (For your health)
Thank you to : Memet Tursun Zunun
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Country Remark / explanation
V
Venezuela(Spanish - Latin American)
VietnameseChia
Can chén : \L\1rite dot under a) (North V.N.)
Can ly : \L\1rite dot under a) (South V.N.)
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Country Remark / explanation
W
WelshIechyd da
Iechyd da
Wales: \L\1elsh)
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Country Remark / explanation
X
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Country Remark / explanation
Y
Yiddish Mazel tovLechaym (Lechaim)
YugoslavianZiveo / Ziveli (Though country is split up now word is still in use.)
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Country Remark / explanation
Z
Zimbbabwe?
ZuluOogy wawa (ooggywawa or oogywawa)
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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 a language you know please send us an e-mail.

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