How do you say cheers in Spanish?

¡Salud! (literally 'health'). The universal toast in Spanish. Make eye contact when clinking glasses (tradition). For a longer toast: ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! (up, down, center, in).

Why does salud mean both cheers and bless you?

Salud literally means health. As a toast it wishes health to drinkers. After a sneeze, it wishes health to the sneezer (= bless you in English). Same word, two contexts.

What's the long Spanish toast?

¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! (Up, down, center, in!). Lift glass up, down, to center, then drink. Popular in Spain and Mexico at casual gatherings.

Why do Spaniards make eye contact when toasting?

Tradition. In Spain and many Latin American countries, eye contact during the clink and ¡Salud! is essential. Avoiding eye contact is considered bad luck (some say 7 years of bad sex) or rude.

How do I make a more elaborate toast?

Brindo por + reason. Examples: Brindo por nuestra amistad (I toast to our friendship), Brindo por tu éxito (I toast to your success), ¡Salud por los novios! (Cheers to the newlyweds!).

Spanish grammar · Beginner

How to Say Cheers in Spanish: Salud and Toasting Traditions

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Salud (literally 'health') is cheers when toasting in Spanish. Variations: arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro (up, down, center, in!). Salud is also said when someone sneezes (bless you / health to you).

¡Salud!

Cheers!

What it is

¡Salud! (health) is cheers in Spanish, used when toasting with drinks. Also said when someone sneezes (bless you / health to you). For a full toast: Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro (up, down, center, in).

¡Salud! → clink glasses → drink. Plus the full toast: ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro!

How to spot it

Basic toast: ¡Salud! Longer toast: Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro. Birthday toast: ¡Salud por (name) en su cumpleaños! When sneezing: ¡Salud! (or ¡Jesús! / ¡Salud, dinero y amor! after multiple sneezes).

¡Salud! — Cheers!
¡Salud por nosotros! — Cheers to us!
¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! — Up, down, center, in!

Salud is short and universal. The longer toast (arriba, abajo...) is fun and common in casual gatherings, especially in Spain and Mexico.

How to Say Cheers in Spanish Quick Reference

Toasting in Spanish

Expression	Meaning	Context
¡Salud!	Cheers!	Universal toast
¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro!	Up, down, center, in!	Full toast
¡Brindo por...!	I toast to...!	Formal toast
¡Salud por (name)!	Cheers to (name)!	Personal toast
Chin chin (informal)	Cheers (clink)	Casual
Salud, dinero y amor	Health, money, and love	Extended toast / after sneeze
¡Jesús! / ¡Salud!	Bless you!	When someone sneezes

Common How to Say Cheers in Spanish Examples in Spanish

Toasting in Spanish:

Basic Toast

¡Salud!: Cheers!
¡Salud, amigos!: Cheers, friends!
¡Salud, por nosotros!: Cheers, to us!
¡Por nosotros!: To us!

Clink glasses, look people in the eye (important tradition), and say ¡Salud! Then drink.

Full Spanish Toast

¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro!: Up, down, center, in!
(Movements: lift glass up, then down, then to center, then drink.)

Popular at parties / casual gatherings, especially in Spain and Mexico. Pa' is short for para (literally 'for inside' = 'in / down it goes').

Special Occasions

¡Salud, por los novios!: Cheers to the newlyweds!
¡Por tu cumpleaños!: To your birthday!
¡Por nuestra amistad!: To our friendship!
¡Brindo por tu éxito!: I toast to your success!
¡Salud, por el equipo!: Cheers, to the team!

Use por + reason. Brindo por (I toast to) is more formal / explicit.

Sneeze Response (Same Word)

(First sneeze) ¡Salud!: Bless you!
(Second sneeze) ¡Dinero!: Money! (= wishing wealth)
(Third sneeze) ¡Amor!: Love! (= wishing love)
¡Jesús! (Spain): Bless you! (literally 'Jesus')

Salud is also said when someone sneezes (= bless you). Spain commonly uses Jesús. The tradition of salud, dinero, amor for three sneezes is widespread.

Cheers and Toasts in Spanish

Salud Means Health

Salud literally means health. As a toast, it wishes health to those drinking. Same word for cheers (toasting) and bless you (after sneezes). Context distinguishes meaning.

¡Salud! (cheers or bless you).

Cheers! / Bless you!

Salud = health.

Make Eye Contact When Toasting

In Spanish-speaking culture (especially Spain, Latin America), it's traditional to make eye contact with each person you clink glasses with when saying ¡Salud!. Avoiding eye contact is considered bad luck (or rude).

(Clink + eye contact) ¡Salud!

(Clink + eye contact) Cheers!

Eye contact during toast.

Brindar Por = Toast To

Brindar (to toast) + por (for / to) explains what you're toasting to. Brindo por nuestra amistad = I toast to our friendship. More formal than just ¡Salud!.

Brindo por nuestro futuro.

I toast to our future.

Brindar por + reason.

Salud, Dinero, Amor After 3 Sneezes

After multiple sneezes, Spanish has a sequence: ¡Salud! (health, after 1st), ¡Dinero! (money, after 2nd), ¡Amor! (love, after 3rd). Wishes well-being broadly.

¡Salud, dinero y amor!

Health, money, and love!

Three-sneeze sequence.

Common Mistakes with How to Say Cheers in Spanish

Incorrect: Cheers (in English). — Cheers!

Correct: ¡Salud! — Cheers!

Don't mix English cheers into Spanish toasting. ¡Salud! is the standard Spanish toast. Always use Spanish for the toast even in mixed-language groups.

Incorrect: Brindo a tu salud. — I toast to your health.

Correct: Brindo por tu salud. — I toast to your health.

Brindar (to toast) takes por (for / to), not a (to). Brindo por la familia, brindo por nuestro éxito.

How to Say Cheers in Spanish FAQs

How do you say cheers in Spanish?: ¡Salud! (literally 'health'). The universal toast in Spanish. Make eye contact when clinking glasses (tradition). For a longer toast: ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! (up, down, center, in).
Why does salud mean both cheers and bless you?: Salud literally means health. As a toast it wishes health to drinkers. After a sneeze, it wishes health to the sneezer (= bless you in English). Same word, two contexts.
What's the long Spanish toast?: ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! (Up, down, center, in!). Lift glass up, down, to center, then drink. Popular in Spain and Mexico at casual gatherings.
Why do Spaniards make eye contact when toasting?: Tradition. In Spain and many Latin American countries, eye contact during the clink and ¡Salud! is essential. Avoiding eye contact is considered bad luck (some say 7 years of bad sex) or rude.
How do I make a more elaborate toast?: Brindo por + reason. Examples: Brindo por nuestra amistad (I toast to our friendship), Brindo por tu éxito (I toast to your success), ¡Salud por los novios! (Cheers to the newlyweds!).