Meaning & use
sláinte
Last updated
Meanings
interjectionIrishScottish
A word said before drinking to wish good health to the people you are with.
Grammar: Used as a standalone exclamation, often before clinking glasses or taking a drink.
Patterns
- sláinte!
- sláinte, everyone!
- say sláinte
He raised his glass and said, 'Sláinte!'
Sláinte! May you have a long and happy life.
Before we drink, let's all say sláinte together.
nouncountableIrishScottish
A toast or the act of saying this word before drinking.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun, often in the phrase 'a sláinte'.
Patterns
- a sláinte
- propose a sláinte
- give a sláinte
He proposed a sláinte to the newlyweds.
The host gave a sláinte before the meal began.
Common combinations
- raise a glass and say sláinte
- At the wedding, everyone raised a glass and said sláinte.
- sláinte to someone
- Sláinte to the happy couple!
- say sláinte
- In Ireland, it's common to say sláinte before drinking.
- a hearty sláinte
- He gave a hearty sláinte that echoed through the pub.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: sláinte or slainte?
sláinte vs slainte
The spelling without the accent is common in English but less traditional; the Irish and Scottish Gaelic form is 'sláinte' with an accent.
Practice
When would you say 'sláinte'?
Choose one answer.
'Sláinte' is a toast said before drinking, so it fits when you are about to drink with others. It is not a greeting, farewell, or thank-you.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sláinte”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.