Cheers

Czechs drink the most beer per capita in the world.  Therefore it is important to know the rules when it comes to drinking.

For "cheers" you say na zdraví which means "to your health" and it is very, very important that you look at each person in the eye as you clink glasses.   

Be sure to never, ever cross your glass with someone else when you are clinking glasses.  Across Europe it is thought that doing so will bring seven years of bad sex. 

After you have clinked glasses with everyone then you can take a drink.  This goes for beer, wine or spirits.

In Moravia, the same rules apply for wine or shots but not beer.  Here after you have finished looking everyone in the eye and have clinked glasses, then you tap your beer mug on the table (or your beer coaster) before your first sip. 

If someone is drinking a nonalcoholic beverage then they do not participate in the cheers.  However in the USA, everyone cheers, even if it is with a glass of water or a cola.

Since living in Europe, I find that I say "cheers" quite often and it has nothing to do with drinking.  In British English people also say "cheers" for "thanks" and "good bye".

With so many friends here from all over, plus all of my travels, I've learned how to say "cheers" in many languages.

Czech - Na zdraví

Slovak - Na zdravie

Polish - Na zdrowie

Hungarian - Egészségedre

French - Santé

Dutch - Proost

Italian -  Salute / Cin cin (Chin chin)

Bulgarian - Наздраве (Naz-dra-vey)

Irish - Sláinte (Slawn-ch) 

Russian - Будем здоровы (Budem zdorovi)

Hebrew - לְחַיִּים (L’chaim) 

Greek - γεια μας (Yamas)

Catalan - Salut

Spanish - Salud

Portuguese - Saúde

Turkish - Şerefe

Estonian - Terviseks

Finish - Kippis

Icelandic - Skál

Danish, Norwegian and Swedish - Skål

Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian - Živjeli

Romanian - Noroc (No-rock)

German -  Prost / Zum wohl

Romanians love to cheers with Germans and Austrians because in Romanian "prost" means "idiot".