All languages have their own way of fare un brindisi, or toasting the health of other people. In English, we say Cheers!, in Japanese they say Kampai! and in French you’ll hear À votre santé! but what about Italian?
Well, a favourite amongst learners is the onomatopoeic expression Cin cin! (pronounced chin chin).
Learn with this video: How to Say “Cheers” in Italian
Cin cin comes from the Cantonese qǐng qǐng (请请). It was used amongst Chinese sailors as a cordial greeting. The expression was later adopted by European sailors and merchants. It became popular in Italy because it reminds Italians of the sound that wine or beer glasses make when they clink together.
Cin cin is often immediately followed by the expression alla tua salute (you singular) or alla vostra salute (you plural) which both translate as to your health. Note that it is perfectly acceptable to leave out the word salute and simply say alla tua / vostra since the meaning is implied.
Allora, cin cin ragazzi, alla vostra (salute)!
Well, cheers guys, here’s to your good health!
Alternatively, you can say salute (health) on its own without cin cin or alla tua / vostra.
Salute ragazzi! Che questo viaggio sia pieno di emozioni!
Cheers guys! We hope that this trip will be full of excitement!
A funny anecdote: I once used this toast with a group of friends in Japan, only to be met with some very bemused looks. I later discovered that the word chin in Japanese denotes a certain male body part!
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Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
