γεια μας
geia mas
The Greek way to say cheers is γεια μας (geia mas). Wiktionary also lists εις υγείαν (eis ygeían) and στην υγειά… (stin ygeiá…).
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| γεια μας | geia mas |
| εις υγείαν | eis ygeían |
| στην υγειά… | stin ygeiá… |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase γεια μας literally means 'health to us'.
Which one should you use?
γεια μας is the most common way to say 'cheers' in a casual setting. In contrast, εις υγείαν is a more formal or traditional way to say 'to health'.
How do you pronounce it?
geia mas
When do people say it?
When making a toast, you might use Στον γάμο σας! to say 'To your wedding!'
Did you know?
- The word γεια in your toast is a direct descendant of the Ancient Greek word ὑγίεια, which is the root of the English word 'hygiene'.
- In Greece, it is common to say γεια μας even when drinking non-alcoholic beverages, as the focus is on the shared 'health' rather than the alcohol.
- If you use the formal εις υγείαν, you are using a grammatical structure that was once part of the 'pure' form of Greek, known as Katharevousa, which is no longer the spoken standard.
Examples in context
- Γεια μας!Gia mas!Cheers!
- Γεια μας, φίλοι μου.Gia mas, filoi mou.Cheers, my friends.
Example conversation
Two friends are having a glass of wine at a cafe.
- Νίκος NikosΓεια μας, Κυριακή!Gia mas, Kyriaki!Cheers, Kyriaki!
- Κυριακή KyriakiΓεια μας, Νίκο!Gia mas, Niko!Cheers, Nikos!
- Νίκος NikosΕίσαι πολύ καλή φίλη.Eisai poly kali fili.You are a very good friend.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΚι εσύ, Νίκο.Ki esi, Niko.And you, Nikos.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries γεια, εις, στην, CC BY-SA 4.0.
