prost
/pʁoːst/
The German way to say cheers when making a toast is prost. Wiktionary also lists zum Wohl.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| prost | /pʁoːst/ |
| zum Wohl | /t͡sʊm ˈvoːl/ |
These phrases are used when making a toast while drinking. You may also use the informal phrase Auf deine Gesundheit to mean "to your health".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase zum Wohl literally means "to your well-being" or "to health".
Which one should you use?
prost is the standard, more casual way to toast, whereas zum Wohl is more formal and polite.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
prost is the casual option, while zum Wohl is a more formal and polite expression.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁoːst/
When do people say it?
When saying prost or zum Wohl in Germany, it is customary to maintain eye contact with the person you are clinking glasses with.
Did you know?
- In Germany, failing to maintain eye contact while saying prost is often seen as a social faux pas and is jokingly said to bring seven years of bad luck in the bedroom.
- The toast prost actually traces its roots back to a Latin blessing, prosit, which means 'may it be beneficial'.
Examples in context
- Alles klar, lasst uns heute nicht förmlich sein. Prost!All right, everyone, let's not stand on ceremony tonight. Cheers!This sentence shows how to use prost in an informal setting.Tatoeba #4126951 by Dani6187, translation #22125 by AlanF_US
- Zum Wohl!Cheers!This sentence provides a simple example of using zum Wohl.Tatoeba #957535 by Sudajaengi, translation #487006 by human600
- Prost auf das Wochenende!Cheers to the weekend!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Maximilian are raising their glasses at a cafe.
- HannahAuf unser neues Projekt, prost!To our new project, cheers!
- MaximilianJa, prost, Hannah!Yes, cheers, Hannah!
- HannahLass uns heute richtig feiern.Let's really celebrate today.
- MaximilianDas ist eine gute Idee.That is a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries prost, zum Wohl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Wohl, prost, wohl, zum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
