na zdrowie
/na‿ˈzdrɔ.vjɛ/
na zdrowie is the Polish way to say cheers.
The phrase is used as a toast when drinking alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages. Unlike the British English use of 'cheers' to mean 'thanks' or 'goodbye', the Polish na zdrowie is used strictly for toasts or as a response to someone sneezing.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to 'to health'.
Which one should you use?
Na zdrowko! is a casual variation used among friends in social gatherings. Zdrowie! is a colloquial way to toast, specifically meaning 'health'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Silesia, people may say Jeszcze! to mean 'Once more' while toasting.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /na‿ˈzdrɔ.vjɛ/.
Did you know?
- In a formal setting, it is considered polite to make eye contact with the person you are toasting with while saying na zdrowie.
- The Polish phrase na zdrowie is part of a wider Slavic tradition, sharing a very similar form with the Czech na zdraví and the Russian на здоро́вье.
Examples in context
- Na zdrowie!Cheers!This sentence shows how to use the form na zdrowie for a toast.Tatoeba #611685 by simaqian, translation #487006 by human600
- Wypijmy za sukces, na zdrowie!Let's drink to success, cheers!
- Na zdrowie, moi drodzy!Cheers, my dear friends!
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Krzysztof are celebrating a promotion at a restaurant.
- KatarzynaZa twój awans, na zdrowie!To your promotion, cheers!
- KrzysztofDziękuję, Katarzyno. Na zdrowie!Thank you, Katarzyna. Cheers!
- KatarzynaWszystkiego najlepszego dla ciebie!All the best to you!
- KrzysztofDziękuję bardzo.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries na zdrowie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries na, na zdrowie, zdrowie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
