Cheers in German · with audio

Cheers in German: Prost, Zum Wohl, and Other Toasts

Cheers

Prost!

Cheers in German is Prost. You say it when you raise your glass, and you will hear it in every beer garden, at every birthday, and at every Oktoberfest table. Zum Wohl (to your health) is the more formal version and the one people use with wine.

The list below has the common German toasts with audio, the replies, and the two rules that every German knows and most visitors do not: look the other person in the eye when you clink glasses, and never toast with water.

Ways to say cheers in German

Prost is enough in almost every situation. The Auf forms name what you are drinking to. The last few are things you will hear at a party or at Oktoberfest more than things you need to say yourself.

German	English	Note
Prost! The standard toast, formal and informal	Cheers!	The standard toast, formal and informal
Zum Wohl! A little more formal. Common with wine and at dinners	To your health!	A little more formal. Common with wine and at dinners
Prosit! The older, full form of Prost. Still used in Austria and Bavaria	Cheers!	The older, full form of Prost. Still used in Austria and Bavaria
Auf dich! / Auf Sie! Dich is informal, Sie is formal	To you!	Dich is informal, Sie is formal
Auf uns!	To us!
Auf die Liebe! / Auf das Leben! Auf plus what you drink to, in the accusative	To love! / To life!	Auf plus what you drink to, in the accusative
Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit The line from the song played every few minutes in the Oktoberfest tents	A toast to good cheer	The line from the song played every few minutes in the Oktoberfest tents
Wohl bekomm's! Old-fashioned, said before eating or drinking	May it do you good!	Old-fashioned, said before eating or drinking
Hoch die Tassen! Informal and playful. Literally "up with the cups"	Raise your glasses!	Informal and playful. Literally "up with the cups"
Cheers! Younger Germans use the English word too	Cheers!	Younger Germans use the English word too

How to reply to Prost

The reply to a toast is the same toast. If someone drinks to you, you can answer with Dir auch (you too).

German	English	Note
Prost! The reply to Prost is Prost	Cheers!	The reply to Prost is Prost
Zum Wohl! The reply to Zum Wohl	To your health!	The reply to Zum Wohl
Dir auch! Informal reply to Auf dich	You too!	Informal reply to Auf dich

Example sentences

Prost! Auf einen schönen Abend!
Cheers! To a nice evening!
Zum Wohl, meine Damen und Herren.
To your health, ladies and gentlemen.
Auf dich, alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
To you, happy birthday!
Lasst uns anstoßen. Auf uns!
Let us clink glasses. To us!
Schau mir in die Augen, wenn wir anstoßen.
Look me in the eyes when we clink glasses.
Na dann, Prost!
Well then, cheers!

Good to know

Look people in the eye

When you clink glasses, Germans look each other in the eye. The old superstition says that if you do not, you get seven years of bad luck in love. Nobody really believes it, but everybody does it, and not doing it looks a little rude.

Do not toast with water

Another superstition: toasting with water wishes death on the people you drink with. Many Germans will not clink a water glass. If you are not drinking alcohol, raise your glass and say Prost without clinking, or clink with a soft drink.

Where Prost comes from

Prost is short for the Latin prosit, "may it be good" or "may it help". Students used it in the 18th century and it spread from there. You still hear the full Prosit in Austria, in Bavaria, and in the Oktoberfest song.

Zum Wohl for wine and formal dinners

Prost is fine everywhere, but with a glass of wine or at a formal dinner, Zum Wohl sounds more elegant. If someone raises a glass and says Zum Wohl, answer with Zum Wohl.

Prost is not thank you or goodbye

Unlike the British "cheers", Prost only means the toast. It does not mean thank you (that is Danke) and it does not mean bye (that is Tschüss). Saying Prost to a shop assistant will get you a strange look.

Prost Mahlzeit

Prost Mahlzeit is a sarcastic expression that means "well, that is just great" when something goes wrong. It has nothing to do with drinking. Mahlzeit on its own is a greeting at lunchtime, especially at work.

Practice with flashcards

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do Germans say when they toast?

Prost. It means cheers and is used with beer, wine, and everything else. Zum Wohl (to your health) is the more formal version and is common with wine.

What is the difference between Prost and Zum Wohl?

Both are toasts. Prost is the everyday one and works everywhere. Zum Wohl literally means "to your well-being" and is a little more formal, so people prefer it with wine and at dinners.

Why do Germans look you in the eye when they say Prost?

It is a custom backed by a superstition: not making eye contact when clinking glasses brings seven years of bad luck in love. Everyone does it, so you should too.

Is it rude to toast with water in Germany?

Many Germans avoid it. The superstition says toasting with water wishes death on your drinking partners. If you are not drinking alcohol, raise your glass and say Prost without clinking.

What does Prosit mean?

Prosit is the Latin word Prost comes from. It means "may it be good". It is the older form and you still hear it in Austria, in Bavaria, and in the Oktoberfest song Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit.

Does Prost mean thank you in German?

No. Prost is only a toast. Thank you is Danke, and bye is Tschüss. The British use of "cheers" for thanks does not exist in German.

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