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A2How to sayza vstréchu

How to say “cheers” in Russian

The phrase films taught you is not what people say. Real toasts name what you are drinking to.

Quick answer

За встре́чу!

za vstréchu — Russians toast to something, not with a single word

The options

За встре́чу!To our meeting! — the safest all-purpose toast
За тебя́!To you!
За вас!To you! — polite or plural
За дру́жбу!To friendship!
Бу́дем здоро́вы!To our health! — literally “let us be healthy”
Твоё здоро́вье!Your health!

The за здоро́вье myth

На здоро́вье is not a toast at all — it is what a host says when you thank them for the meal, closer to “you’re welcome”. За здоро́вье exists but sounds like a foreigner quoting a film. Name what you are drinking to instead: За встре́чу!

How a Russian toast works

Someone stands up, says a few sentences about why everyone is here, and ends with За…!. Then everyone drinks. The за takes the accusative, which is why it is за встре́чу and за дру́жбу.

What you hear back

За нас!To us!
Ура́!Hooray!
Прия́тного аппети́та!Enjoy your meal! — before eating, not drinking

Typical mistakes

На здоро́вье! as a toast

За встре́чу! / За вас!

На здоро́вье answers a thank-you for food.

За встре́ча!

За встре́чу!

за takes the accusative here.

Check yourself

What does На здоро́вье! actually mean?

It is the answer to a thank-you for food, not a toast.

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