a Spoonful of Russian 031
b'The video that goes with this episode can be found on my YouTube channel: Episode 031
\\n
\\n
\\nToasting is a huge thing in Russia. Has been for ages. A full glass must be drunk to the bottom after every toast, because \\u201ca toast without wine is like a wedding without a bride!\\u201d A traditional Russian drinking party usually includes a sequence of several standard toasts.
\\n
\\n
\\nYou can refresh them by watching my Most Common Russian Drinking Toasts/Phrases video.
\\n
\\n
\\n\\n\\n
\\n\\nToasting is a huge thing in Russia. Has been for ages. A full glass must be drunk to the bottom after every toast, because \\u201ca toast without wine is like a wedding without a bride!\\u201d A traditional Russian drinking party usually includes a sequence of several standard toasts.
\\n
\\n
\\nYou can refresh them by watching my Most Common Russian Drinking Toasts/Phrases video.
\\n
\\n
\\n\\n\\n
\\n
\\n
\\nThe most common first toast is...
\\n
\\nTo our meeting!
\\n\\u0417\\u0430 \\u0432\\u0441\\u0442\\u0440\\u0435\\u0447\\u0443!
\\n[za FSTRYE-tchoo] \\u2026 sort of an ice-breaker toast:)
\\n
\\n
\\n
\\nAnother good opener toast is\\u2026
\\n
\\n
\\nTo our health!
\\n\\u0411\\u0443\\u0434\\u0435\\u043c \\u0437\\u0434\\u043e\\u0440\\u043e\\u0432\\u044b!
\\n[BOO-dem zda-RO-vy]
\\n
\\n
\\n
\\nThe toasts that follow largely depend on the occasion that brought the people together. At a birthday party, the first toast (with wishes of health, success and a long life) is usually to the birthday guy or lady. The second toast is to their parents as a sign of honor.
\\n
\\nAt a wedding, the first toast is \\u201cTo the health of the newlyweds.\\u201d After that, the guests shout "\\u0413\\u043e\\u0440\\u044c\\u043a\\u043e!"(Gorko!) often and loudly, all through the banquet. \\u201cGorko\\u201d literally means "bitter\\u201d in Russian, implying the bitterness the wine being drunk. By yelling that the wine is bitter, the guests are inviting the newlyweds to make it sweeter by giving each other a sweet long kiss. As the bride and groom kiss, the guests count the seconds: \\u201c\\u041e\\u0434\\u0438\\u043d! \\u0414\\u0432\\u0430! \\u0422\\u0440\\u0438! \\u0427\\u0435\\u0442\\u044b\\u0440\\u0435! \\u041f\\u044f\\u0442\\u044c! ... One, two, three, four, five..." until the kiss is over, whereupon they raise their glasses in a toast.
\\n
\\nAt a funeral banquet, the first part of the toast is usually an uplifting or touching story about the dearly departed; it is concluded with the words \\u041f\\u0443\\u0441\\u0442\\u044c \\u0437\\u0435\\u043c\\u043b\\u044f \\u0435\\u043c\\u0443/\\u0435\\u0439 \\u0431\\u0443\\u0434\\u0435\\u0442 \\u043f\\u0443\\u0445\\u043e\\u043c! \\u0412\\u0435\\u0447\\u043d\\u0430\\u044f \\u043f\\u0430\\u043c\\u044f\\u0442\\u044c! (Let the ground in which he/she rests be like goose down. Eternal memory to (him/her). When people in Russia drink to the dead it is customary not to clink glasses.
\\n
\\nWithout a doubt towards the middle of the party someone usually proposes a toast \\u201c\\u0417\\u0430 \\u0436\\u0435\\u043d\\u0449\\u0438\\u043d\\u201d! \\u201cTo beautiful ladies!\\u201d or \\u201cTo the ladies present here!" At this point someone else usually says that real men stand up when they drink a toast to beautiful ladies, and they drink to the bottom. All the gentlemen present promptly comply.
\\n
\\nThe last toast, \\u201c\\u041d\\u0430 \\u043f\\u043e\\u0441\\u043e\\u0448\\u043e\\u043a!\\u201d / \\u201cNa pososhok", is usually pronounced when the guests are about to leave. In olden days, travelers used a walking stick, called posokh or, diminutively, pososhok in Russian, during long journeys. A toast to the walking stick, therefore, is meant to make sure that the return journey is safe.
\\n
\\n\\nLearn some Russian today!'