Santé !
everyday
The standard toast in Quebec is Santé!, literally "health". You can also say À la tienne! to a friend or À la vôtre! to someone you address formally or to a group.
Meaning: toast when drinking together (interjection)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| Santé ! | everyday |
| À la tienne ! | informal, to one person |
| À la vôtre ! | formal or to several people |
Say Santé! when glasses meet, whether it is a beer with friends or wine at a family dinner.
How does it change in a sentence?
Tienne and vôtre agree with santé, which is feminine, so the phrase means "to your health".
Did you know?
- Santé literally means "health", so the toast is a wish for the health of everyone at the table.
Examples in context
- À la tienne, Marc!Cheers, Marc!
- À la vôtre, madame.Cheers, madam.
Example conversation
Nicolas, Chloé and their neighbor Mme Tremblay raise glasses at a backyard supper in Sherbrooke.
- NicolasSanté tout le monde!Cheers everyone!
- ChloéÀ la vôtre, madame Tremblay.Cheers, Mrs. Tremblay.
- Mme TremblaySanté! Et merci pour l'invitation.Cheers! And thank you for the invitation.
