salute
/saˈlu.te/
In Italian, the English phrase "cheers" is translated as salute when making a toast. Wiktionary also lists alla salute and prosit.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| salute | /saˈlu.te/ |
| alla salute | /ˈal.la saˈlu.te/ (word by word) |
| prosit |
The word salute is the most common way to say "cheers" during a toast. You may also encounter the informal expression Alla tua!, which means "To yours!" or the informal phrase Salute e figli maschi!, which means "To health and male children!"
What does it mean word for word?
The word salute literally means "health".
Which one should you use?
While prosit is a Latin-derived term used for a toast, it is much less common in everyday Italian than salute.
How do you pronounce it?
The word salute is pronounced /saˈlu.te/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
When saying salute during a toast, it is customary to make eye contact with the people you are clinking glasses with.
Did you know?
- If someone sneezes, you say salute to them. In this context, it functions exactly like the English word 'bless you'.
- While you must make eye contact, it is considered bad luck in Italy to toast with water. Doing so is thought to bring seven years of misfortune.
- In some regions, the phrase Cin cin is a common alternative to salute, mimicking the sound of glasses touching.
Examples in context
- Salute!Cheers!This example shows how to use salute to say "Cheers!"Tatoeba #991588 by riccioberto, translation #487006 by human600
- Alla salute!To your health!
- Salute a noi!Cheers to us!
Example conversation
Chiara and Lorenzo are celebrating a promotion at a bar.
- ChiaraBrindiamo al tuo nuovo lavoro?Shall we toast to your new job?
- LorenzoCertamente, salute!Certainly, cheers!
- ChiaraAlla salute, Lorenzo!To your health, Lorenzo!
- LorenzoGrazie, Chiara. Salute!Thanks, Chiara. Cheers!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries salute, alla salute, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (alla, salute) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
