3 Easy Ways To Say Cheers In German

Ling Learn Languages
5 min readDec 21, 2021

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Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/tips/cheers-in-german/

Have you ever wondered how to say “Cheers” in German? You’ve probably heard that German beers are amongst the most popular beers in the world. The drinking culture in Germany is quite a unique one, too. It is not just about alcohol, but about the collective experience of being in a bar, at a festival, or in a restaurant. The culture encourages people to spend time with their family members and friends and enjoy life to the fullest!

The drinking culture in Germany can be compared to the one in America, as they both have similar habits and traditions. Today we’ll have a look a the most common traditions, tips&tricks, phrases, and words today and teach you how to get your first German beer with a bit of help from Ling App!

A Brief History Of Drinking In German Culture

Here’s the thing, it is not only in Ireland where drinking is a well-loved activity. Germany is a country that loves its beer, wine, and liquor. German beer is a prime example of this. German culture has been regarded as one of the most alcohol-infused cultures in the world. It is also the world’s 8th largest economy, and the history of drinking in Germany is quite long. It can be traced back to the development of agriculture and brewing.

In Germany, beer is commonly known as “liquid bread.” Beer has been brewing in Germany for a thousand years, with the first brew of beer coming from the monks of a monastery south of Munich. The oldest of these is Weihenstephan (a part of a town called Freising), which dates back to the 11th century.

It is considered that people who drink more often are healthier and happier than those who do not. More than 60% of Germans drink alcohol on a daily basis, with beer being the most popular alcoholic beverage. In Germany, the legal drinking age is 16 years old, but it varies by state.

In the past, people considered drinking as a male-dominated activity. But now, women have become much more involved in the drinking culture. This is also because of public perception moving away from alcohol as an addictive substance.

Oktoberfest: One Of The Biggest Beer Festivals In The World

If you’re a hardcore beer lover, you’ve probably heard of Oktoberfest before. Oktoberfest is one of the most famous beer festivals in Germany. It is held every year in Munich and lasts 16 days.

Oktoberfest originated from an event called the Wiesn that took place on the first Sunday of October in 1810. It was a wedding celebration of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig I and Sophie Charlotte von Hesse-Kassel, which is why it has also been called the “Wiesn”. The original event was held on public land outside Munich and later moved to a location within city limits.

Oktoberfest remains one of the most important events in Bavaria, which has led to its spread throughout central Europe, becoming Europe’s largest folk festival and fair.

A Short Guide To German Toasting Etiquette

Cheers in German is not only having ein toast (a toast) but also a way to say goodbye. There are a few different traditions when it comes to toasting and saying farewells that you should know about. If you want to drink like a pro, keep these in mind for an authentic German experience.

  • Staring is caring: it is extremely important to maintain eye contact while toasting with others — and not for just a moment or two. Try to maintain it for a while. Looking at the floor while having booze is viewed as a sign of bad luck
  • “To high winds and mermaids”: while this epic naval one-liner isn’t necessary, raising a glass and saying “cheers” while toasting is essential
  • Chin-Chin: we’ve established that keeping eye contact and saying cheers are a MUST in Germany, but in addition to that, you should remember that for a perfect toast you should clink the bottoms of your glasses together, not the tops
  • Size matters: in case of any size differences between the glasses, it is polite to drink from your own glass first before filling up your partner’s glass
  • No limits: the best thing about this toast is that Germans do not limit themselves to just one type of alcohol ( but they do prefer beer or wine over other types of alcohol like spirits or cocktails)

3 Ways To Say Cheers In German

There are several ways to say cheers in German. We’ll guide you through a couple of words and phrases on how to do exactly that and sound respectful when talking about alcohol since it’s a pretty big part of German culture.

1) Prost!

This is a toast that you can use for all occasions and situations. It’s not the formal toast because it doesn’t contain any “Cheers.” However, if you’re looking for some German cheers, this is a good one! “Prost” is basically saying that everyone is going to have fun and enjoy themselves. It’s also a drinking expression that means “To life! To health!”

2) Gesundheit!

“Gesundheit” is the German word for “Health,” and when being said in a toast, it can mean many things. When used, it is usually followed by “Cheers!” but this does not always have to be the case.

3) Zum Wohl!

Zum Wohl is a common toast in the country. There are many variations of the toast that can be said to express particular sentiments, like wishing you good health or happiness or thanking people for their help with something.

Learn German With Ling App

Do you have a sudden wish to learn how to speak the German language and get to know his wonderful country after reading this article? Well, wait no more. Ling App by Simya Solutions is an awesome language learning app for both beginners and advanced learners. With its interactive interface and gamified environment, Ling-app provides an excellent way to learn German through short-themed lessons that are tailored to your needs and interests!

With Ling App, learning is a game, and it has never been easier! So, what are you waiting for?

Join us and start learning German today!

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Ling Learn Languages
Ling Learn Languages

Written by Ling Learn Languages

Ling is a game-like language learning app with a pack of 60+ languages. You will learn languages in fun ways!