toastmasters

“Cheers” is likely the most common phrase we toast with. Did you know, the culture of toasting comes from Roman origins; where the host would often pour himself a drink from a shared pitcher of wine to show that the wine wasn’t poisoned, before toasting his guests and asking them to join him.

The toast has since evolved and bled into many cultures. Here are some ways to toast in different languages!

Spanish: Salud (sa-lood)

You’ve probably caught a whiff of this toast in the cinema or while binge watching a TV series. Salud means “Salute” and wishes of good health in Spanish, although this can carry over to many other languages. For example, a common toast in Italian -- Salud also means the same thing.

Hebrew: L’chaim (le-cha-im)

Put simply, L’chaim means “To life” in Hebrew. This toast is often used at Jewish gatherings, such as Bar/Bat mitzvahs or weddings. 

Gaelic: Sláinte (slawn-che)

A common toast in Ireland, Scotland, and Isle of Man, sláinte means wishes of good health. One way to offer this toast is with a fantastic Islay whisky: Laphroaig 10 YO. This fantastic whisky offers a smokey, peaty flavour that is sure to whet your appetite. Another drink that accompanies this toast would be the classic pint of Guinness Stout

Laphroaig 10 YO Guinness Stout

 

Danish: Skål

Not unlike many of the other toasts on this list, skål means good health in many Scandinavian countries. This toast is one known to be used in the great halls of the Vikings, drinking from their massive drinking horns. Fill a horn up with a pint of Carlsberg (probably the best beer in the world), and yell this Nordic toast for maximum immersion.

Carlsberg

Vietnamese – (Yo)

This one’s a little more complicated. Vietnamese tend to use this toast as a countdown to down a drink together. The full toast would be một, hai, ba, (mot, hai, ba, yo), which literally means 1, 2, 3, GO! This is followed by everyone in the toast downing their drink. Talk about an interesting drinking culture!

Mandarin: 干杯 (gan-bei)

干杯 literally means “dry cup” in Mandarin, so there isn’t much hidden meaning behind this particular toast. When you’re giving a toast however, don’t forget to toast elders and superiors first as a sign of respect!

German: Prost

This’ll come in useful when you attend an Oktoberfest event. Almost exclusively a word used in toasts, Prost appears to have no further meaning beyond its English counterpart “Cheers”. Well, when you know you’re in for a good time, maybe there isn’t much need for meaning behind a toast.

English: Cheers

Although we couldn’t find much meaning behind the English toast of “Cheers”, it’s likely that the toast simply wishes happiness, much like the phrase “Cheer Up.” 

An alternative toast used in Britain and other parts of Western Europe is “Cin cin”. This toast has origins in Italy, who plucked it from their Chinese counterparts in ch’ing, meaning “you’re welcome”. How interesting to see how far a single word stretches back!

Cheers! Cellarbration Warehouse Sale

After all this talk about expressing joy with drinks, we are backing you up with the supply. This month, we are having our annual warehouse sale with great and attractive prices! Discounts up to 60% off for 1000+ alcohols. Order $99 and above to receive free next-day alcohol delivery in the comfort of your own home.