# Russian speaking Dopers: na zdorovye? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977 "2006-06-16T19:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/1 "2006-06-16T19:14:00Z")
If I were having a drink with a person from Russia, and wished to say the equivalent of “cheers” in Russian, I was under the impression that the correct expression was _na zdorovye._ There are lots of websites out there that give toasts in assorted languages, and most of them list this one (albeit in a wide variety of English transliterations). But one site I came upon claims that this is “an incredibly widespread myth,” and that no one in Russia actually uses _na zdorovye_ this way. Furthermore, it states that there is no generally used Russian toast, although “sometimes” _budem zdorovye_ is used (which seems very close to _na zdorovye_ anyway). So–any Russian speakers out there, is this correct? If so, what do you say? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/2 "2006-06-16T19:33:56Z")
_na zdorovye_ = “to health” _budem zdorovye_ = “let us be healthy” NFI how common each is. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/3 "2006-06-16T19:46:51Z")
That’s the line used in _Fiddler On The Roof_, when the Russian soldiers join in on the song “To Life”. Whether or not it’s accurate, that may be the reason it’s widespread. ---
**Author:** ![Phrontist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phrontist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phrontist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/4 "2006-06-16T20:10:53Z")
I can tell you that in Poland “na zdrowie” is often used as “bless you”-type phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/5 "2006-06-16T23:03:39Z")
> [@Phrontist](#): > > I can tell you that in Poland “na zdrowie” is often used as “bless you”-type phrase. Belvedere Vodka had a pretty heavy ad campaign based on this saying a year or so ago. ---
**Author:** ![Crescend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/6 "2006-06-17T00:43:43Z")
I’ve never heard “na zdorovye” used as a toast. To me, it’s always been what my grandmother said when I thanked her for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/7 "2006-06-17T01:35:50Z")
My native-speaking friends say a more common toast would be _za vashe zdorovye_ (meaning literally the same thing). ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/8 "2006-06-17T01:38:49Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > If I were having a drink with a person from Russia, and wished to say the equivalent of “cheers” in Russian, I was under the impression that the correct expression was _na zdorovye._ There are lots of websites out there that give toasts in assorted languages, and most of them list this one (albeit in a wide variety of English transliterations). But one site I came upon claims that this is “an incredibly widespread myth,” and that no one in Russia actually uses _na zdorovye_ this way. Furthermore, it states that there is no generally used Russian toast, although “sometimes” _budem zdorovye_ is used (which seems very close to _na zdorovye_ anyway). So–any Russian speakers out there, is this correct? If so, what do you say? Vashe zdorovye - to your health ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/9 "2006-06-17T07:21:28Z")
za zdorve (sic) - to your health (consumables - drinks, etc) ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/10 "2006-06-17T07:42:21Z")
Perhaps one of the Russian speaking SMDBers here that’s played _Jagged Alliance_ can tell me what Ivan’s saying, too? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/11 "2006-06-17T07:55:17Z")
I lived in Russia and I have heard this as a toast although it is not as universal as cheers. More often, I would hear “to the future.” ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/12 "2006-06-17T08:15:10Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > za zdorve (sic) - to your health (consumables - drinks, etc) za zdorove… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/13 "2006-06-17T09:21:36Z")
In my experience, _na zdorovye_ is used as **Crescend** ’s grandmother used it - as a sort of alternative form of “you’re welcome”, with a sense of “may it do you good”. (I’ve even heard this when bumming cigarettes!) (Za) vashe zdorovye - the “Za” is often elided - is indeed the default toast. In anything but the most casual, drinking-to-get-drunk situations, though, a more elaborate toast is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-speaking-dopers-na-zdorovye/360977/14 "2006-06-17T23:03:46Z")
So the consensus seems to be that I’d be on safer ground saying _za vashe zdorovye_. Thanks, folks.