When you next raise your glass and say “Cheers!” you can take pride in the fact that a toast to the health and prosperity of those near and dear was originally offered only to women.
‘A Toast’ – as in ‘the toast of the town’ – is a woman to whom the assembled men raise their glasses. The name comes from the toasted spiced bread that during the 17th Century in Britain was popularly floated in the brew and gave flavour to the drink.
However, the tradition of toasting has spread far and wide across the globe. So here’s how to say Cheers in 50 languages!
|
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 |
Gan bay |
|
Croatian |
Živjeli / |
Zhee-ve-lee / |
|
Czech |
Na zdravi |
Naz-drah vi |
|
Danish |
Skål |
Skoal |
|
Dutch |
Proost |
Prohst |
|
Estonian |
Terviseks |
Ter-vih-sex |
|
Language |
Spelling |
Phonetic Pronunciation |
|
Filipino/Tagalog |
Mabuhay |
Mah-boo-hay |
|
Finnish |
Kippis |
Kip-piss |
|
French |
Santé / |
Sahn-tay / |
|
Galician |
Salud |
Saw-lood |
|
German |
Prost / |
Prohst / |
|
Greek |
ΥΓΕΙΑ |
Yamas |
|
Hawaiian |
Å’kålè ma’luna |
Okole maluna |
|
Hebrew |
לחיים |
L’chaim |
|
Hungarian |
Egészségedre (to your health) / |
Egg-esh ay-ged-reh / |
|
Icelandic |
Skál |
Sk-owl |
|
Irish Gaelic |
Sláinte |
Slawn-cha |
|
Italian |
Salute / |
Saw-lutay / |
|
Japanese |
乾杯 |
Kan-pie |
|
Korean |
건배 |
Gun bae |
|
Latvian |
Priekā / |
Pree-eh-ka / |
|
Lithuanian |
į sveikatą |
Ee sweh-kata |
|
Macedonian |
На здравје |
Na zdravye |
|
Mongolian |
Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө / |
ErUHl mehdiin toloo / |
|
Language |
Spelling |
Phonetic Pronunciation |
|
Norwegian |
Skål |
Skawl |
|
Polish |
Na zdrowie |
Naz-droh-vee-ay |
|
Portuguese |
Saúde |
Saw-OO-de |
|
Romanian |
Noroc / |
No-rock / |
|
Russian |
Будем здоровы/ |
Budem zdorovi/ |
|
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 / |
Jou / |
|
Welsh |
Iechyd da |
Yeh-chid dah |
|
Yiddish |
Sei gesund |
Say geh-sund |