prost
/pʁoːst/
In German, the phrase for cheers when drinking is prost.
German speakers use several expressions to toast others when clinking glasses. The most common expression is prost. You can also use trinken wir auf… followed by a person's name or a specific event to say "Let's drink to…". Another option is the informal phrase auf uns, which means "To us".
Which one should you use?
While prost is the most frequent way to say cheers, zum wohl is a more formal and polite alternative used in more sophisticated settings. The phrase zum wohl specifically translates to "to your health".
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁoːst/
When do people say it?
When clinking glasses to toast, it is customary in Germany to clink glasses with everyone present. It is also important to make eye contact with the people you are toasting. In many German-speaking regions, failing to make eye contact while clinking glasses is considered bad luck.
Did you know?
- Avoiding eye contact during a toast in Germany is sometimes jokingly said to lead to seven years of bad luck in the bedroom.
- Before it was a common drinking toast, prost was often used as a polite way to respond to someone sneezing, much like how one might say 'bless you' in English.
- The word prost actually stems from the Latin word prosit, which means 'may it be beneficial'.
Examples in context
- Prost!Cheers!
- Wir trinken auf dein Wohl, prost!We drink to your health, cheers!
Example conversation
Two friends are clinking beer glasses at a pub.
- SarahAuf das Leben, prost!To life, cheers!
- MaximilianProst, Sarah! Das schmeckt gut.Cheers, Sarah! This tastes good.
- SarahJa, das Bier ist sehr erfrischend.Yes, the beer is very refreshing.
- MaximilianGenießen wir den Abend!Let's enjoy the evening!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry prost, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries prost, CC BY-SA 4.0.
