How to Say Cheers in Portuguese
Learn how to say cheers in Portuguese. 'Saúde' (to your health) is the toast, with 'Tim-tim' as the playful clink. Pronunciation guide + Portuguese toasting customs.
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Quick answer
To say cheers in Portuguese, say 'Saúde!' (sah-OO-jee) — literally 'health,' as in 'to your health.' The playful, informal version mimicking the clink of glasses is 'Tim-tim!' (cheeng-cheeng). Like in many cultures, '¡Saúde!' is also what you say when someone sneezes (bless you).
Saúde
/sah-OO-jee/ — Portuguese
How to Say Cheers in Portuguese
When it’s time to raise a glass with Portuguese speakers, Saúde is your word — a warm wish for good health, with a playful clink-sound to go with it.
The Toast: Saúde!
Saúde! — pronounced sah-OO-jee (Brazil) / sah-OO-duh (Portugal)
It literally means “health” — so you’re wishing everyone good health, just like the original sense of the English “cheers.”
Copy the Phrase
The Portuguese word for “cheers” is Saúde! (sah-OO-jee).
Pronunciation
| Part | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sa | sah | Open ‘a’ |
| ú | OO | Stressed (accent marks it) |
| de | jee (Brazil) / duh (Portugal) | d→j before e in Brazil |
The stressed middle “OO” is the key. Brazilian Portuguese softens the final “de” to “jee.”
Saúde + Tim-Tim
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Saúde! | sah-OO-jee | Standard toast |
| Tim-tim! | cheeng-cheeng | Playful (the clink sound) |
Tim-tim imitates the sound of glasses clinking — like “clink-clink.” You’ll often hear them combined: “Saúde, tim-tim!”
Cheers AND Bless You
Like salud in Spanish, Saúde! does double duty:
- Toasting — raising a glass: “Cheers! / To your health!”
- After a sneeze — “Bless you!”
Context (glass vs. sneeze) makes the meaning clear.
Toasting to Something Specific
Use A / Ao / À (“to”) + what you’re celebrating:
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| À nossa! | To us! |
| Ao amor! | To love! |
| À amizade! | To friendship! |
| À vida! | To life! |
| Ao futuro! | To the future! |
Making a Formal Toast
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Um brinde a… | A toast to… |
| Vamos fazer um brinde | Let’s make a toast |
| Brindar a/ao | To toast to |
Toasting Etiquette
- Say Saúde! while raising your glass
- Make eye contact when clinking (polite, as in much of Europe and Latin America)
- Add tim-tim! for a fun, casual clink
- Toast specifics with À nossa! (to us!) or À amizade! (to friendship!)
A hearty “Saúde!” with a “tim-tim!” clink is the classic Brazilian celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce Saúde?
'Saúde' is pronounced sah-OO-jee in Brazilian Portuguese, with the stress on the 'OO' (the accent on the ú marks it). The final 'de' softens to 'jee' in Brazil (d→j before e). In European Portuguese it's closer to sah-OO-duh. Three syllables: sa-ú-de, with that stressed middle 'OO.'
What does Saúde mean?
'Saúde' literally means 'health.' As a toast, you're wishing good health to those you drink with — 'to your health!' — just like the English 'cheers' originally implied. It's the standard Portuguese toast. The same word 'saúde' is the everyday word for health (as in healthcare, 'Ministério da Saúde' = Ministry of Health).
What is Tim-tim?
'Tim-tim' (pronounced cheeng-cheeng) is the playful, informal Portuguese 'cheers' that imitates the sound of glasses clinking together — like 'clink-clink.' It's casual and fun, used among friends while actually touching glasses. You'll often hear 'Saúde, tim-tim!' combining the formal toast with the playful clink sound.
Do you say Saúde when someone sneezes in Portuguese?
Yes — just like 'salud' in Spanish or 'bless you' in English, 'Saúde!' is what you say when someone sneezes in Portuguese (wishing them health). So 'Saúde!' does double duty: a drinking toast AND a 'bless you' after a sneeze. Context (glass vs. sneeze) makes the meaning clear.
How do you make a toast in Portuguese?
Say 'Saúde!' while raising your glass, often with eye contact. You can toast to something specific with 'A...' (to...): 'À nossa!' (to us!), 'Ao amor!' (to love!), 'À amizade!' (to friendship!). 'Um brinde a...' means 'a toast to...' ('Vamos fazer um brinde' = let's make a toast). In Brazil, a hearty 'Saúde!' with a 'tim-tim!' clink is the typical celebration.