Russian · phrasebook

Cheers in Russian

There is no single word for cheers in Russian. Toasts follow the pattern за + accusative, to something: за здоровье (to health), за встречу (to our meeting), за вас (to you). The internet's favourite 'nostrovia' is not a toast at all.

Aurélien CuvelierAug 9, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

за здоровье!

za zdorovye

to health

The ways to say it

How to use it

Toasting is participatory: someone proposes the за-phrase, everyone repeats it, then drinks. At a real Russian table toasts get longer and more elaborate as the evening goes on; the two-word за-formula is only the opening move.

The за + accusative pattern is productive: за дружбу (to friendship), за родителей (to the parents). It is also a tidy live demonstration of the accusative case doing real work.

Watch out

На здоровье, the phrase behind 'nostrovia', means you're welcome, said after feeding someone. Raising a glass and saying it marks you instantly as a tourist. If you want one safe universal toast, use за здоровье, with за.

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