Cheers in Irish
Sláinte
In Irish, the phrase to know first is "Sláinte!" (Cheers!). The others are below, each with a note on when to use it.
The Irish toast is Sláinte!, "health". Below are the toasts to raise a glass with and the Irish for drinking someone's health. Each phrase comes with a short note on when to use it.
Greetings
Sláinte!
Cheers!
Literally "health".
Sláinte mhaith!
Good health!
Mhaith is "good".
Seo do shláinte!
Here's to your health!
To one person.
Sláinte agus saol chugat!
Health and long life to you!
A fuller toast.
Sláinte na mban!
To the women!
Literally "the health of the women".
Useful words
sláinte duine a ól
to drink someone's health
Ól means drink.
Ólaimis sláinte ár n-óstaigh!
A toast to our host!
Literally "let us drink the health of our host".
About the words
Sláinte means health. As a toast, Ó Dónaill gives sláinte!, seo do shláinte!, "here's a health to you", and sláinte agus saol chugat!, "health and long life to you". To drink to someone's health is sláinte duine a ól. The New English–Irish Dictionary lists sláinte, sláinte mhaith and sláinte na mban under "cheers".
Common questions
How do you say cheers in Irish?
Sláinte! or Sláinte mhaith!, "good health".
Cheers in the other Celtic languages
Further reading
Go beyond the phrases
blas. teaches Irish with spaced repetition, vocabulary, mutations, grammar, reading, and conversation. Not just for Cheers, but for life. Free to start.
Start learning IrishIrish phrases for the year ahead
Irish phrases for everyday occasions
Sources
Every phrase and fact on this page was checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-20.
- Ó Dónaill, Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla (teanglann.ie, Foras na Gaeilge)
- New English–Irish Dictionary (focloir.ie, Foras na Gaeilge)
- Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org
- blas. course data
- New English–Irish Dictionary (focloir.ie, Foras na Gaeilge)
Credit: Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.