Vodka. Part №2. Russians don’t drink in silence

I guess, in all countries there exists a certain tradition of what to say while drinking alcohol. In Russia we believe that people who drink without saying a toast are real alcoholic. Vodka doesn’t tolerate rushing.

As a rule we drink “for” something, and these toasts are very short. Firstly – “for those who are present”. Secondly one is always “for parents”. If you have closeness with the sea –  the third  should be “for those who are at sea”  and finally what usually follows  is a toast “for the ladies” ( men drink standing)  and so on regarding the occasion of the meeting.

The most common toast is a short statement, which is difficult to both translate and explain - “we will”.  People use it in order not to drink in silence.

One is obligatory to “pay a penalty” if they are late.

Also the last toast is important. In English the variant it sounds like “one for the road”. In the South of Russia we actually have three last toasts that make it difficult to go home quickly. They are impossible to translate.

That’s why it sounds funny when foreigners say “na zdorovie” (something like “bon appétit” or “bless you”) when drinking with Russians.  They regard it as a traditional Russian toast, but as you can see, it is not so. It is just a way of simplifying something more in depth.  

P.S. You can't drink or put your glass on the table until a person finishes his toast. It is an isult.