na zdraví
/ˈna zdɾaviː/
na zdraví is the Czech way to say cheers.
The phrase is used as a toast when drinking.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means to health, consisting of the preposition na followed by the noun zdraví.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preposition na followed by the noun zdraví in the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈna zdɾaviː/
When do people say it?
It is customary to maintain eye contact with the person you are clinking glasses with during a toast. In formal settings, one should wait for the host or most respected person to say na zdraví before taking a sip.
Did you know?
- In Czechia, na zdraví is also used as a polite response when someone sneezes, acting as the equivalent of 'bless you'.
- In some social circles, Czechs might use the phrase na zdraví ironically after doing something slightly unhealthy or reckless, turning the wish for 'health' into a joke.
- The word zdraví shares a linguistic root with the English word 'health' via the ancient Proto-Indo-European root for 'whole' or 'uninjured'.
Examples in context
- Na zdraví!Cheers!This is useful for a simple toast.Tatoeba #871498 by vita, translation #487006 by human600
- Vzdejme mu na zdraví.Let's toast to his health.
Example conversation
Tereza and Lukáš are having a drink at a restaurant.
- TerezaTady je tvé víno, Lukáši.Here is your wine, Lukáš.
- LukášDíky, Terezo. Na zdraví!Thanks, Tereza. Cheers!
- TerezaNa zdraví!Cheers!
- LukášTo je velmi dobré víno.This is a very good wine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries na zdraví, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
