Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| santé | /sɑ̃.te/ | |
| à votre santé | /a vɔ.tʁə sɑ̃.te/ | formal |
| tchin-tchin | /tʃin tʃin/ |
These terms are used as toasts when drinking. You can use the more elaborate à votre santé to mean "To your health!", or the shorter santé to simply mean "Health!"
What does it mean word for word?
The word santé literally means "health".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on who you are addressing and the setting. à votre santé is used when addressing a person formally or a group of people. santé is a shorter, popular and casual way to toast.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use à votre santé. In casual or informal settings, you can use the short santé or the colloquial tchin-tchin, which is a lighthearted way to say cheers while mimicking the sound of glasses clinking.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase à votre santé is a prepositional phrase meaning "to your health".
How do you pronounce it?
/sɑ̃.te/
When do people say it?
When making a toast in France, it is common practice to look the other person in the eye while clinking glasses.
Did you know?
- The gesture of clinking glasses while saying santé was historically intended to prevent people from poisoning one another by splashing drinks into each other's cups.
- Although tchin-tchin sounds quintessentially French, it actually comes from the English phrase 'chin-chin'.
- The word santé shares the same Latin root as the English word 'sanity', linking the toast of health to mental wellness.
Examples in context
- À votre santé !Cheers!This example shows the formal way to say Cheers!Tatoeba #11581 by Lulantis, translation #487006 by human600
- À notre santé !Cheers to us!This example shows how to use the word santéTatoeba #1143733 by sacredceltic, translation #13816655 by tieguy
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are clinking glasses at a dinner party.
- HugoSanté, Emma !Cheers, Emma!
- EmmaSanté, Hugo !Cheers, Hugo!
- HugoLe vin est excellent.The wine is excellent.
- EmmaOui, il est très bon.Yes, it is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries santé, à votre santé, tchin-tchin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries santé, tchin-tchin, votre, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
