How to Say Cheers in French: Santé, Tchin Tchin and the Eye-Contact Rule
Cheers in French is santé - or the playful tchin tchin when glasses clink. Learn the toast phrases, the eye-contact rule, and what to say without alcohol.
Cheers in French is santé !, pronounced /sahn-TAY/ - literally “health,” short for à votre santé. When glasses actually clink, French speakers often add tchin tchin ! A common superstition says to make eye contact while toasting, or risk bad luck.
Quick answer
Cheers in French is santé !, pronounced /sahn-TAY/ - literally “health,” short for à votre santé. When glasses actually clink, French speakers often add tchin tchin !. A common superstition says to make eye contact while toasting, or risk bad luck.
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Santé: pronunciation and use
/sahn-TAY/, short for à ta santé (informal) or à votre santé (formal) - “to your health.” It works for any drinking occasion, formal or casual, and any drink at all.
Tchin tchin: the clink word
Playful and light-register, often said alongside santé rather than instead of it: Santé ! Tchin tchin ! Despite sounding like an onomatopoeia for clinking glasses, it actually traces back to “qing qing” - a Chinese phrase roughly meaning “please” - brought back to France by 19th-century soldiers and travelers returning from China, and gradually reshaped by French ears into tchin-tchin.
The full toast script
| Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| à la tienne ! | - | to yours (informal) |
| à la vôtre ! | - | to yours (formal) |
| à votre santé à tous ! | - | to everyone’s health |
| santé et bonheur ! | - | health and happiness (special occasions) |
These pair naturally with occasion greetings - see birthday wishes in French for the crossover.
The eye-contact superstition
A widely repeated folk belief across France (and much of Europe) holds that avoiding eye contact while toasting brings bad luck - treat this as folklore, not documented etiquette law. Practical tip regardless: make eye contact, and don’t cross arms when clinking within a group.
Toasting without alcohol
Santé works with any drink at all - juice, water, soda - no separate “sober cheers” phrase is needed. À la nôtre ! (to us/ours) makes a nice inclusive group alternative. For the broader dinner-table politeness this belongs to, see French politeness phrases.
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Questions about this note
What does tchin tchin mean?
An onomatopoeic "clink!" said as glasses touch, alongside or instead of santé.
Do you need alcohol to say santé?
No - it works with any drink, including juice or water.
What does à la tienne mean?
"To yours" - an informal toast; à la vôtre is the formal or plural version.
Why do French people make eye contact when toasting?
A widespread superstition claims avoiding it brings bad luck - folklore, not documented etiquette, but commonly followed anyway.
How do you say cheers to everyone?
à la vôtre à tous ! or à la nôtre ! (to us/ours).