Cheers in Spanish: ¡Salud!, Chin Chin, and How to Toast

How do you say cheers in Spanish?

The word you need is ¡Salud!. It literally means “health,” and it’s the universal way to say cheers in Spanish, understood everywhere from Madrid to Mexico City to Buenos Aires. If you only remember one word before your next toast, this is it.

It’s pronounced “sah-LOOD,” with the stress on the second syllable and a soft “d” at the end that almost disappears in Spain. You’ll often hear it with a little extra warmth: ¡Salud! on its own, or ¡A tu salud! (“to your health”) when you’re toasting someone in particular.

Tip: raise your glass, look the other person in the eye, and say ¡Salud! with a smile. The gesture matters as much as the word, and it travels well everywhere Spanish is spoken.

How do you spell cheers in Spanish?

It’s spelled salud, with an exclamation mark on each side when written with feeling: ¡Salud!. Spanish opens exclamations with an upside-down mark (¡) and closes them with a normal one (!), so both belong to a proper written toast. Skip the accents and you still get there, but ¡Salud! is the tidy, correct way to write it.

Chin chin and other casual ways to toast

When the mood is relaxed and you’re among friends, Spanish gives you a few playful options:

• Chin chin → the sound of glasses clinking, used just like “cheers” among friends. Casual and fun.
• ¡Salucita! → an affectionate little version of salud, common in a friendly setting. It’s mainly used in Mexico and other countries in South America. In Spain, however, it’s not common.
• ¡Por nosotros! → “to us,” warm and inclusive when you’re celebrating together.
• ¡Por la amistad! → “to friendship,” a classic among close friends.

For example: at a casual get-together, you might raise your glass and say ¡Chin chin! as everyone leans in to clink. For more everyday expressions like these, see our Spanish phrases for beginners.

How to make a toast in Spanish

A toast is un brindis, and “to make a toast” is hacer un brindis or the verb brindar. To toast to something, use brindar por:

• Vamos a brindar. → Let’s make a toast.
• Un brindis por los novios. → A toast to the newlyweds.
• Brindemos por la salud y la felicidad. → Let’s toast to health and happiness.
• ¡Salud, dinero y amor, y tiempo para disfrutarlos! → “Health, money and love, and time to enjoy them!” A much-loved longer toast.

And then there’s the famous group chant that turns any toast into a moment of fun: “Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’dentro.” You raise your glass up (arriba), lower it (abajo), bring it to the middle (al centro), and then drink (pa’dentro, short for para dentro, “inside”). Try it once and you’ll never forget it.

Cheers etiquette: the unwritten rules

Saying the word is easy. Looking like you belong at the table is about the little customs that go with it:

• Make eye contact as you clink glasses. Looking away is considered a bit rude.
• Actually clink glasses with the people near you, or at least raise yours toward them.
• Never toast with water. Superstition says it brings bad luck, so lift juice, wine, or anything but a glass of water.
• Wait for everyone to be served before the first sip, especially at a meal.

These customs show up across Spain and Latin America, so they’re worth knowing before you travel. If a trip is on the horizon, our Spanish travel phrases will get you ready for the rest of the table too.

Cheers in Spanish around the world

The good news: ¡Salud! works everywhere. What changes is the flavor of the party. In Spain, you’ll hear ¡Salud! and plenty of chin chin, often followed by the “arriba, abajo” chant. In Mexico, ¡Salud! is just as common, sometimes stretched into a longer, cheerful group toast. Across Latin America, from Argentina to Colombia, the same word carries the day. Whichever accent you’re learning, salud will never let you down.

What else does “salud” mean?

Here’s a word that pulls double, even triple duty. Salud is the everyday word for “health” (la salud), so a toast to someone’s health and a doctor’s waiting room use the very same word. And when someone sneezes, Spanish speakers say ¡Salud! too (or “Jesús”), exactly like “bless you” in English. So the next time you hear it, listen for the context: it might be a toast, a wish for good health, or a friendly response to a sneeze.

A quick recap

• Everyday cheers: ¡Salud!
• Casual and playful: chin chin
• Making a toast: un brindis, brindar por…
• The fun group chant: “Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’dentro”

So, what will you toast to first? Pour something (not water!), say ¡Salud!, and tell us in the comments how it goes. If you want to keep the good vibes going, dive into our essential Spanish slang expressions next.