bersulang
/bərˈsulaŋ/
To say "cheers" in Indonesian when raising a glass, say bersulang.
Bersulang! is the exclamation used when people raise their glasses to celebrate or to honor someone.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word starts with the prefix ber-, which marks performing an action, here the act of toasting.
How does it change in a sentence?
In a group it is natural to add Mari (let's) in front, as in Mari bersulang!, which works as a friendly invitation to toast together.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /bərˈsulaŋ/. The stress falls on the second syllable, the first vowel is a short neutral sound and the word ends with the ng sound of English "sing".
Did you know?
- In many Indonesian drinking cultures, the act of clinking glasses is often accompanied by the word Sikat! which literally translates to 'brush it!' or 'attack it!', used to encourage drinking.
- If you are toasting with someone significantly older or of higher social status, you should aim to keep the rim of your glass lower than theirs to show respect.
- While bersulang is the standard term, the slang word tos is actually borrowed from the English word 'toast' but has evolved to describe any high-five or clink of glasses.
Examples in context
- Bersulang!Cheers!Bersulang! on its own is the full toast, just like "Cheers!" in English.Tatoeba #4345247 by Bilmanda, translation #487006 by human600
- Mari kita bersulang untuk keberhasilan proyek ini.Let us toast to the success of this project.
- Ayo bersulang untuk kesehatan kita semua!Let's toast to all of our health!
Example conversation
Two friends are celebrating a promotion at a restaurant.
- MayaSelamat atas promosi barumu, Dimas!Congratulations on your new promotion, Dimas!
- DimasTerima kasih, Maya. Ayo kita bersulang!Thank you, Maya. Let's toast!
- MayaBersulang untuk masa depan yang cerah!Cheers to a bright future!
- DimasSetuju, mari kita nikmati minumannya.Agreed, let's enjoy our drinks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bersulang, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
