An Irish cheers is the most popular of the many Irish toasts.
In a nutshell, cheers in Irish is ‘Sláinte’, but it doesn’t actually translate to ‘Cheers’.
Sláinte actually means ‘Health’. Discover everything you need to know below.
Some quick need-to-knows about an Irish cheers
Right – saying cheers in Irish is very straightforward, so I’m not going to fluff this article out unnecessarily. Here’s the key info:
1. How to say cheers in Irish
‘Sláinte’ is the most common way of saying cheers in Irish. It’s generally said as glasses clink against each other.
2. What does Sláinte mean
‘Sláinte’ means ‘Health’. The saying of ‘Sláinte’ as you tip your glass against another symbolises drinking to that persons health.
3. How to pronounce Sláinte
‘Sláinte’ is pronounced ‘Slaan-cha’.
4. Variations of the Irish cheers
Although ‘Sláinte’ is the most common way of saying cheers in Irish, there are several variations. For example, ‘Sláinte mhaith’ is an Irish cheers that means ‘Good health’.
The response to this Irish drinking toast is ‘Sláinte agatsa’, which means ‘To your health also’.
5. Etiquette
It’s said that, as you deliver your Irish cheers, you should make and hold eye contact when taking the first sip. It’s said that it’s bad luck to do otherwise.
More Irish toasts
If you’re on the lookout for more Irish toasts, particurally those that get said when sipping Irish drinks, here are some more to consider:
FAQs about the Irish Sláinte
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What’s a respectful Irish cheers?’ to ‘How do you pronounce Sláinte?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
How do you say cheers in Irish?
Sláinte is a way of delivering an Irish cheers. Sláinte means health and it is said as you tip your glass against another or raise it in the air in toast.
How do you pronounce Sláinte?
Sláinte is pronounced ‘Slaan-cha’. It’s used throughout the world. However, and I’m saying this as someone living in Ireland for 34 years, you don’t tend to hear it too often here.
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.