Drinks greetings - different cultures.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59
Posts: 110
Drinks greetings - different cultures.
We are probably all familiar with, "Here's to you" "Good health" "Cheers" "Skol" "Prost" "Sante" etc.
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Lestah
Posts: 203
We are probably all familiar with, "Here's to you" "Good health" "Cheers" "Skol" "Prost" "Sante" etc.
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Manchester, England
Age: 56
Posts: 879
We are probably all familiar with, "Here's to you" "Good health" "Cheers" "Skol" "Prost" "Sante" etc.
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Over the last few months I became acquainted with a Romanian chap and his wife, and their (to my mind) odd custom after pouring drinks is to say nothing, just look at each other in turn, hold up the glasses and then intentionally spill a few drops out of each one before taking a taste.
Any other drinks rituals or customs encountered amongst this well travelled community?
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Under a gooseberry bush
Posts: 65
My Irish parents always said the Gaelic ‘slainte’ (slawn - che ) instead of ‘cheers’ and my son’s Spanish girlfriend says it’s believed unlucky in Spain to toast (salud) with anything non alcoholic - particularly water!
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
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My mate walked into a bar in Roermond Holland, spotted a bartender that had served him the previous night and held his hand up to give him a hi wave, sitting down he was presented with 5 beers lol 🍺
sorry off topic.
sorry off topic.
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Age: 70
Posts: 846
While many Indonesians do consume alcohol there has been no real tradition of doing so to have inspired an equivalent phrase.
There are approximate equivalents but no direct equivalent that really fits well.
I presume that the same applies to Arabic and possibly Turkic languages
In Thailand, "Chohk Di" (โชคดี) is widely used but translates more like "Good luck" than cheers, I think.
And Japan "Kanpai" is pretty much universal and something similar in China.
There are approximate equivalents but no direct equivalent that really fits well.
I presume that the same applies to Arabic and possibly Turkic languages
In Thailand, "Chohk Di" (โชคดี) is widely used but translates more like "Good luck" than cheers, I think.
And Japan "Kanpai" is pretty much universal and something similar in China.
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: UK
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59
Posts: 110
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59
Posts: 110
There is something wholesome yet brutal about that invitation.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Great South East, tired and retired
Posts: 3,786
While many Indonesians do consume alcohol there has been no real tradition of doing so to have inspired an equivalent phrase.
There are approximate equivalents but no direct equivalent that really fits well.
There are approximate equivalents but no direct equivalent that really fits well.
In parts of Oz, the country of India is invoked, as in "Geddit India!"
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: South East of Penge
Age: 72
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I recall in N.I; the fun we had teaching newly arrived Army Officers in Province a Gaelic Toast:
"Poch ma Hon"
" Now say it all together guys, so you won't forget it!"
( It translates as "Kiss my arse" of course )
"Poch ma Hon"
" Now say it all together guys, so you won't forget it!"

( It translates as "Kiss my arse" of course )
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Age: 70
Posts: 846
For the record, selamat and it's variants (keselamatan) are derived from the same roots as the greetings salaam and shalom.
As in Dar Es Salaam or Brunei Darussalam, As-salamu alaykum, Wa-Aalaykum salam and, I think, Jerusalem.
And, as far as I know, it relates to the concept of peace, safety or a safe haven.
Last edited by WingNut60; 9th Mar 2022 at 09:50.