Russian CHEERS!

ЗА ЗДОРОВЬЕ!

Everyone knows the famous "За здоровье!" [zah zdaro'vieh]. But not many foreigners  know that it is far from being a common phrase for any toasting like Salute, Prost, Cheers and so on. It is just one of thousands of versions!

THE TOAST REFLECTS THE EVENT

The biggest difference is that Russians give a different meaning to the toast depending on the situation: New Year's Eve, friends reunions, birthdays, house warming, weddings. The toast should reflect the event. Also the toast is supposed to be your message to the group about your wishes to them or to one person (to be happy, to live long, to meet more often, to remain friends and many many more).

CREATIVITY WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

Russian Toast tradition can be also called a kind of folklore. It can be a poem, a story, an anecdote at the end of which you say to what you toast to or what you wish. There are Russian websites that have a big collection of toasts divided into categories according to the specific event. If you want to impress your Russian friends, you can find a lot of interesting examples on one of these websites.

tostovka.ru
tostov.net
tostna.narod.ru

THE STRUCTURE OF THE TOAST

The person toasting usually stands up, especially if a big group of people has gathered. If you are with your family or friends, it is also appropriate to remain seated. To give a sign that you want to toast, you raise a glass (it has to be full). The toast can be 2 words or 30 minutes long. Both are acceptable. It can be a story that you tell and at the end you say to what you drink or it can be very short just as famous "За здоровье!" without too much explanation.
Usually the final phrase has one of these structures:
- За ... !   Example: За нас! (To us)
- Так выпьем же за ... !   Example: Так выпьем же за нашу дружбу! (Let's toast to our friendship)
- Так давайте же выпьем за ... !   Example: Так давайте же выпьем за любовь! (Let's toast to love)
- Я поднимаю бокал за ... !   Example: Я поднимаю бокал за нашу компанию! (I toast to our company)

VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF COMMON TOASTS

• За любовь! / To love!
• За встречу!  / To our reunion!
• За удачу!  / To luck!
• Я поднимаю бокал за любовь!  /  I rase my glass to love!
• За Рождество!  / To Christmas!
• За новый год!  / To a Happy New Year!
• Пусть новый год принесет исполнение всех твоих желаний!  / Let the New Year make all your wishes come true!
• За прекрасную пару!  / To this beautiful couple! (at a wedding)
• За вашу новую семью!  /  To your new family!  (at a wedding)
• За новоселье!  /  To the new home! (at a housewarming)
• За родителей!  /  To the parents! (usually either at a wedding or at a birthday party - because they brought the person to life on that day, a few or many years ago)
• За именинника!  /   To the birthday person!
• За здоровье!  /  To health!
• Выпьем за друзей, которые выручат в трудную минуту!  /  Let's toast (drink) to the friends who always help when someone is in need!
• За нас!  /  To us!
• За наших женщин!  /  To our women!
• За здоровье и богатство!  /  To health and wealth!
• За нас, мужики!  /  To us, men! (very informal)
• Так давайте же выпьем за нашу компанию!  /  Let's toast to our company! (at a corporate event)
• За нашу чудесную компанию!  /  To our wonderful company!  (at a corporate event)
• Так давайте выпьем за дружбу!  /  Let's toast to our friendship!
• Так выпьем же за то, чтобы не забывать друзей!  /  Let's toast to not forget friends!
• Так выпьем же за настоящую дружбу!  /  Let's toast to the real friendship!

P.S. Pictures are taken from the famous Russian and Soviet comedy films.