Imagine this: you’re having a sunset beer overlooking the incredible Caldera in Santorini, and all of a sudden, everybody stands up for a cheering moment. But wait! You don’t know how to say Cheers in Greek! Everybody starts saying it, and you just mumble something so that your mouth is just moving, and your Greek friends don’t notice that you don’t know how to say it.
This seems straight out of a comedy movie, but this can happen to you, and sometimes it can be a bit awkward. I mean, it is not the end of the world if you don’t know how to say cheers in Greek. However, using vocabulary like this is very common on special occasions and in tourist places like Santorini. It is a way for you to connect with locals and other tourists who made the same effort as you to learn a few Greek words.
I didn’t give you this example completely random. This actually happened to me. I was experiencing my first sunset on the beautiful island of Santorini in an incredible place with a beer in my hand, and for some reason, in that specific bar, when the last bit of the sun was no longer visible, everybody cheered with their drinks. I was completely off guard, and suddenly I was surrounded by people I didn’t know, saying words I was not familiar with and bumping their glasses aggressively toward my beer. I didn’t know any Greek words yet, not even how to cheer, so I stayed there, looking introverted and shy, nothing that I considered myself to be.
After this, I went straight to my room and learned all the best ways to say Cheers in Greek. I came back to the same bar the next day and started dropping Γειά μας! Yiamas! (Cheers!) left and right to everybody I saw. It was so great to be showing everybody that I knew a bit of Greek that I ended up making some new friends (while bumping glasses with everybody) that had just arrived on the island themselves and with whom I explored the island in the next few weeks!
The fact that learning a few simple words in a new language is an excellent way to meet new people and connect may seem a bit farfetched. However, the story I just told you is the perfect example of how this is actually true! If I hadn’t learned how to say Γειά μας! Yiamas! and several other words in Greek during my stay, I wouldn’t have met and experienced so much in this beautiful country.
If you’re heading to Greece and want to learn some vocabulary in Greek, you’re in luck! Explore our blog at Ling App and learn several different topics about this ancient language, such as some basic words and phrases, how to say thank you, and important travel words for you to learn!
For now, let’s learn how to say Cheers in Greek and start making toasts with everyone!
How To Say Cheers In Greek
Drinking in Greek culture is a big part of the culture. Coming all the way from ancient Greeks, social drinking is a big part of Greek life; even children usually drink watered-down wine. Despite this, drinking to excess is really frowned upon in Greek society.
There are actually a few words you can say to accompany the clinking sound of two glasses during a toast in Greek. The most usual and easy way is Στην υγειά μας! (Stin yia mas!) that literally translates to “To our health!” but can also be interpreted as the more common and vulgar “chin-chin,” representing the sound of the bumping glasses.
If you find yourself toasting in a local bar with Greek people, you’ll eventually hear the word Γειά μας! (Yiamas!) , meaning Cheers, which is the commonly shortened version of the sentence above. This version is the most used all across Greece.
In the table below are other words and phrases commonly used during toasts in the Greek language.
| Greek | Translation | English | Pronunciation |
| Γειά μας! | Yamas! | Cheers | |
| Στην υγειά μας! | Stin iyia mas! | To our health! | |
| Στην υγειά σας! | Stin iyia sas! | To your health | |
| άσπρο πάτο | Aspro pato | Bottom’s Up! |
Other Important Sentences/Slang Words About Drinking In Greek
The word “drink” in greek is simply translated to ποτό (potó), while the act itself of drinking something is translated to πίνω (píno). Along with these words, several more might be useful if you intend to mingle in the bar life in Greece, so check the following few examples to learn a few sentences about drinking in Greek.
Side note: if you’re seeing this blog article already at the bar, we advise you to read this before having a few ποτό (potó), or you might end up saying something you didn’t mean to. Don’t Drink and Greek.
A simple way Greek people use to say “alcoholic drinks” is the word ξίδια (xídia) which literally means “vinegars.” It couldn’t be more appropriate as these drinks really give you the vinegars! Let’s have a look at an example of a sentence using this word:
Πού θα πιούμε τα ξίδια μας απόψε (Poú tha pioúme ta xídia mas apópse)
“Where are we having our drinks tonight?”
When someone drinks a lot, a common slang expression used in Greek is πίνω τον άμπακα (píno ton ábaka) which literally means “to drink the abacus,” but has a general translation to “to drink like a fish,” or better to drink a lot! Let’s have a look at an example:
Με ρέγουλα το αλκοόλ. Έχεις πιει τον άμπακα. (Me régoula to alkoól. Écheis piei ton ámpaka.)
“Take it easy on the alcohol. You’re drinking like a fish.”
Another way to express the action of drink and getting drunk is τα τσούζω (ta tsúzo) which literally means “to chafe them.” But generally speaking, it is used to say to drink a lot of alcohol or to get drunk. Here’s an example:
Τα έτσουξες χτες, γι’ αυτό νιώθεις χάλια σήμερα. (Ta étsouxes chtes, gi’ aftó niótheis chália símera.)
“You got drunk yesterday; that’s why you feel terrible today.”
After having a lot to drink, you eventually get drunk with the amount of alcohol, which in Greek is said as γίνομαι αλοιφή (yínome alifí) that literally means “to become ointment,” but it is used to say that someone is intoxicated. Let’s have a look at another example:
Δεν θυμάμαι τι έγινε χτες το βράδυ. Είχα γίνει αλοιφή. (Den thymámai ti égine chtes to vrády. Eícha gínei aloifí.)
“I don’t remember what happened last night. I was so drunk.”
Other phrases that you might find helpful are in the following table:
| Greek | English |
| Είμαι τόσο μεθυσμένος. (Eímai tóso methysménos.) | I am so drunk. |
| Μια ακόμη μπύρα, παρακαλώ (Mia akómi býra, parakaló!) | One more beer, please! |
| Μπορείτε να με καλέσετε ταξί; (Boreíte na me kalésete taxí?) | Can you call me a taxi? |
| Πού μπορώ να πληρώσω; (Poú boró na pliróso?) | Where can I pay? |
| Όχι άλλο, ευχαριστώ (Óchi állo, efcharistó.) | No more, thank you. |
| Είμαι ο καθορισμένος οδηγός, επομένως δεν πίνω. (Eímai o kathorisménos odigós, epoménos den píno.) | I’m the designated driver, so I’m not drinking. |
| Σε ποιο μπαρ θέλετε να πάτε; (Se poio bar thélete na páte?) | Which bar do you want to go? |
| Πληρώνω τον επόμενο γύρο! (Pliróno ton epómeno gýro!) | I pay the next round! |
Learn More Greek With Ling App
Hopefully, you’ve still reached this part of the article with your faculties intact. If you did, you might be interested in learning more about the Greek language! Come learn with us at Ling app!
What is Ling app, you ask, during one of the little breaks from sipping on your margarita? Good question!
Ling App is a language learning application that allows you to learn 60+ languages worldwide through a simple click on your phone anytime, anywhere! Filled with games, puzzles, and quizzes, Ling app will help you master a language of your choice through fun and interactive methods, backed by engaging and relevant information that has been reviewed by native language speakers! With Ling App, you’ll learn how to speak Greek in no time!
To top this all off, Ling app has an interactive AI chatbot where you can practice what you’ve learned by having real conversations in Greek.
Learning has never been easier and more accessible, so download Ling app today and start learning Greek!
