Updated July 2026 · Everyday Polish · 4-minute read · 🔊 every phrase has native audio · ✓ Reviewed by Laura, native Polish speaker
The quick answer: cheers in Polish is na zdrowie (nah ZDROH-vyeh) — literally “to health”. It’s also what you say when someone sneezes. Hear it and the other toasts below. 👇
Na zdrowie!
nah ZDROH-vyeh · “to health!” — the Polish cheers
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Every Polish toast worth knowing
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Na zdrowie!
nah ZDROH-vyeh
the universal cheers (and after sneezes)
Za nas!
zah nahs
“to us!” — warm, among friends
Za zdrowie!
zah ZDROH-vyeh
“to health!” — toast variant
Zdrówko!
ZDRUF-koh
the cute, casual little-cheers
Do dna!
doh dnah
“bottoms up!” — use with care 😄
Sto lat!
stoh laht
celebration toast — “100 years!”
💡 Pronunciation tip: the cluster zdr is one quick burst — don’t insert a vowel. Say “nahz-DROH-vyeh” as if the z belongs to the first syllable and it flows naturally.
The rules of a Polish toast
Eye contact while clinking — always. Glasses meet, eyes meet, na zdrowie, sip. At bigger gatherings the host opens with the first toast, and at birthdays the room usually sings Sto lat as its toast.
🇵🇱 The sneeze rule: someone sneezes → you say na zdrowie → they answer dziękuję. It’s automatic, universal, and skipping it feels as odd as ignoring a “bless you”. Brush up your dziękuję for the other side of the exchange.
“Nostrovia” is not a Polish word
If you have been to an American-Polish wedding you have probably heard someone raise a glass and say nostrovia. It is not Polish. It is not really Russian either.
It is an English mangling of the Russian na zdorovye — and here is the part almost nobody knows: Russians do not generally use that as a toast. In Russian it is closer to “you’re welcome”, or what a host says when putting food in front of you. The Russian toasts are za zdorovye, budem zdorovy, or a proper speech.
So the word doing the rounds at Polish-American parties is a garbled version of a Russian phrase that Russians do not say when drinking. The Polish word is na zdrowie (nah ZDROH-vyeh), it is genuinely what Poles say, and it is right there at the top of this page with the audio.
🇵🇱 Why the two look so alike. Polish and Russian are both Slavic, and both phrases are built on the same root word for health — Polish zdrowie, Russian zdorovye. They are cousins. But only the Polish one is the everyday toast, and only the Polish one doubles as what you say when somebody sneezes.
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Na zdrowie! — eye contact, clink, sip. You’re doing it right.
2. Just you and your close friend toasting…
Za nas! — “to us!” — smaller, warmer, perfect for two.
3. Someone sneezes on the tram…
Na zdrowie! — yes, even to strangers. You’ll get a grateful dziękuję back.
Frequently asked questions
What does na zdrowie mean?
Literally “to health” — it’s the Polish cheers AND the response to a sneeze. One phrase covers both raising a glass and blessing a sneeze.
How do you pronounce na zdrowie?
Nah ZDROH-vyeh. Three beats, stress in the middle. The “zdr” cluster looks scary but rolls off faster than you think — hear it above and copy the rhythm.
What do Poles say when clinking glasses?
Na zdrowie is the universal one. Among friends you’ll also hear Za nas! (“to us!”), Zdrówko! (the cute diminutive), and at celebrations the room often just sings Sto lat instead.
What does nostrovia mean in Polish?
Nothing — it is not a Polish word. It is an English spelling of the Russian na zdorovye, which Russians mostly use to mean “you’re welcome” rather than as a toast. The Polish word is na zdrowie (nah ZDROH-vyeh).
Is na zdrowie Russian or Polish?
Polish. Russian has a close cousin, na zdorovye, because both languages build the phrase on the same Slavic root for health — but the Russian version is not the standard drinking toast, and it is not the sneeze response either. In Polish, na zdrowie is both.
How do you toast in Polish?
Raise the glass, make eye contact while the glasses clink — this is not optional — say na zdrowie, then drink. At a large table the host gives the first toast. At a birthday the room will usually sing Sto lat instead.
