If you are traveling to Albania and still don’t know how to say cheers in Albanian, you are in the right place. The word you need is Gëzuar!, and it is the one you will hear most when glasses are raised in a bar, a restaurant or an Albanian home.
Speaking a few words in the local language is the best way to fit in, and Albanians appreciate it very much. There’s a good chance they will open up their homes and share their strong drinks, good food and great stories about their beautiful country.
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What Are Other Ways To Say Cheers In Albanian?
We already learned that Gëzuar means cheers in Albanian. However, there are 2 other words and phrases you will hear:
- Brohoritje (Cheer, as in the cheering of a crowd)
- Për shëndetin tënd (To your health)
A toast usually comes with a round of introductions, so it helps to know your Albanian pronouns and how to count the next round with Albanian numbers too.
What Are The Most Popular Drinks In Albania?
Gorani Sok (Gorani Soda)
This beverage is traditionally produced by people from the Gorani community in Albania and neighboring countries. Gorani sok is a fermented, gassy drink that’s either non-alcoholic or has a very low alcohol percentage. To produce the drink, the fruits are allowed to ferment inside sealed jars or bottles under anaerobic conditions.
The local population gathers a wide range of cultivated and wild fruits and berries from the mountainsides for it, including:
- Apples, wild pears, plums and damsons (a small purple-black fruit similar to the plum)
- Cherries, sour cherries and cherry plums
- Bilberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries
- Rosehips, juniper berries, hawthorn and sloe
Qershi Plum Raki (Cherry Plum Brandy)
This is a traditional alcoholic drink that has been exclusively prepared by the Shala people living in the Shala Valley in Northern Albania. To make it, the locals:
- Gather the small reddish-purple fruits of the cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) when ripe
- Mash the fruit and let it ferment in wooden barrels for up to three weeks
- Distill it in a big copper pot
In Albania, just like other countries in the Balkans, making homemade raki or rakija, including cherry plum raki, has long been a family tradition. This distilled spirit is typically consumed daily and during various social and festive occasions. Cherry plum raki is produced only for personal consumption and is not available in stores.
Birrë (Beer)
People in Albania also love to drink birrë (beer). A few beers are produced in Albania: Tirana, a blonde beer with a sweet taste, Elbar, and the best of all, Korça, produced in the city with the same name. Along with imported beers, these can be easily found everywhere across the country.
Verë (Wine)
Whether you love to drink verë e bardhë (white wine) or verë e kuqe (red wine), you won’t be disappointed. The best is the merlot and the cabernet, and some wines are produced from local rrush (grapes), such as the wines of Korça and Shkodra. In villages, it is common for families to produce their own wine. Even though this wine has a bitter taste, authenticity lovers will be delighted.
Bozë
The Gorani people living in the mountainous Gora region, between Albania, Serbia and Macedonia, have a long-standing tradition of producing bozë, a type of millet beer. It is made by fermenting millet (Panicum miliaceum, called prosok in the local language) with no added malt, and it has an acidic flavor and a light alcohol content.
Bozë recipes also use corn and wheat flour, sugar and water. Renowned for their fermented drinks, the Gorani people have commonly been called the bozadzij, meaning people who prepare boza. The Albanian bozë is slightly different from the Turkish, Bulgarian or Macedonian boza.
Dhallë
This beverage can also be considered salty, liquid yogurt. It’s mainly consumed during the summer.
What Makes Raki So Special In Albania?
Raki is not only Albanian: it is popular all over the Balkans, and people often make it at home. Although it can be produced from almost any type of fruit, in Albania the most popular kinds are made from fermented cherry plums and grapes, distilled into a strong spirit of around 40 percent alcohol.
Many Albanian families have smaller or larger vineyards and produce both wine and raki. But raki has a special place in people’s lives, because it is drunk at baptisms, weddings and funerals.
A Drink For Men Made By Women
Many Albanian women produce brandy even though it is considered a “drink for men” in a traditionally patriarchal society. Traditionally, women were taught to make brandy by their mothers-in-law, and they pass that knowledge on to their daughters-in-law. Raki made this way at home is the most prized, and many say it tastes more delicate.
Raki As A Home Remedy
One saying goes like this: “It would be a shame for any family not to have raki to offer to a friend.” Raki is also a popular home remedy for sore throats or muscle aches.
FAQs About Saying Cheers In Albanian
What Does Gëzuar Mean In Albanian?
Gëzuar is the basic Albanian toast and means cheers. You will hear it whenever glasses are raised, whether over raki, wine or a Korça beer.
How Do You Say To Your Health In Albanian?
You can say Për shëndetin tënd, which means to your health. It is a warmer, longer toast than Gëzuar and works well when you are a guest in someone’s home.
What Is The Traditional Drink Of Albania?
Raki is the best-known traditional drink. It is a strong fruit brandy, often made at home from cherry plums or grapes, and it is served at baptisms, weddings and funerals.
Learn More Albanian With The Ling App
Now that you know how to raise a glass with Gëzuar!, you are ready to share a toast and a story with your Albanian hosts.
With flashcards, native speaker audio and Dialog for real conversation practice, Ling keeps learning simple and fun, so you can keep practicing a little every day. Start learning Albanian today and make your next trip to Albania even more memorable!
