Cheers in Czech: Na Zdraví, Toast Etiquette and Pub Phrases
Cheers in Czech is na zdraví (NAH-zdrah-vee), literally “to health”. Clink glasses with everyone at the table and look each person in the eye as you do. The same phrase is what Czechs say when someone sneezes.
What na zdraví means, word by word
Na is “on” or “to”, and zdraví is “health” (from zdravý, healthy). So na zdraví is a toast “to health”, just like Spanish salud or German zum Wohl. It is written as two words, with a long í at the end. Searching for “nazdravi” is understandable, but written as one word it is a mistake.
Say it as one smooth unit with the stress on na: NAH-zdrah-vee. The z and d run together, and the final í is a long “ee”.
How to toast like a Czech
- Wait for everyone’s drink to arrive. Drinking before the first toast looks impatient.
- Raise your glass and say na zdraví. Whoever ordered the round or is hosting usually starts.
- Clink with every person, not just the one next to you. At a big table, reach or walk round.
- Keep eye contact while the glasses touch. Radio Prague’s guide to Czech dining etiquette warns that looking away can come across as rude.
- Drink before putting the glass down. Setting it straight back on the table after a toast feels odd.
Other toasts you will hear
- Na nás!: to us!
- Na zdraví a na lásku!: to health and to love (weddings, birthdays).
- Všechno nejlepší!: all the best, the standard birthday wish, often followed by na zdraví.
- Ať se daří!: may things go well.
Na zdraví after a sneeze
When someone sneezes, Czechs say na zdraví too, the way English speakers say “bless you”. A more traditional alternative is Pozdrav Pánbůh (“God bless”), answered with Dejž to Pánbůh. Most people under 50 just say na zdraví, and the sneezer replies děkuji.
Ordering in a Czech pub
Czechia has topped Kirin’s global ranking of beer drinking per person every year since 1993, at 148.8 litres per person in 2024. So you will probably need more than the toast.
| Czech | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jedno pivo, prosím. | One beer, please. |
| Ještě jedno, prosím. | Another one, please. |
| Malé pivo / velké pivo | Small (0.3 l) / large (0.5 l) beer |
| Nealko | Alcohol-free beer |
| Zaplatím, prosím. | I’d like to pay, please. |
| Dohromady, nebo zvlášť? | Together or separately? (the server’s question) |
In many traditional pubs the server keeps a tally of your beers on a paper slip left on the table, and new glasses keep arriving until you signal you are done.
Common mistakes
- Looking at your glass, not the person. This is the one Czechs notice most.
- “Na zdravi” with a short i. The final í is long: zdrah-VEE, held a little.
- Stressing zdraví. In Czech the stress falls on na, the first syllable of the phrase: NA-zdra-ví.
- Writing it as one word. Na zdraví is two words.
Frequently asked questions
What does nazdravi mean?
Na zdraví means “to health”. It is the Czech word for cheers, and also what you say when someone sneezes.
Is na zdraví the same in Slovak and Polish?
Slovak uses na zdravie, and Polish na zdrowie. All three come from the same Slavic word for health.
Do Czechs say cheers with non-alcoholic drinks?
Yes. Water, juice and nealko beer all get a na zdraví, and the eye-contact rule still applies.
Keep going
Sources
- Radio Prague International, “A survival guide to Czech dining etiquette”: english.radio.cz
- Kirin Holdings, global beer consumption by country in 2024 (22 Dec 2025): kirinholdings.com
- Wikipedia, responses to sneezing: en.wikipedia.org
