The German toast: look them in the eye, or risk seven years of bad luck
Imagine you are sitting in a German beer garden, you raise your stein for a toast, clink with your friends and cheerfully shout Prost. It seems nothing difficult, and yet you have just committed a faux pas if, while clinking, you looked at the stein instead of into the other person eyes. In Germany, as well as in Austria and many other countries of Europe, when raising a toast you must look into the eyes of every person you clink with. A lack of eye contact is not only bad manners but also, according to a humorous legend, a forecast of seven years of bad luck, most often in a very specific, intimate area of life. This colorful superstition effectively ensures that no one forgets to look into the eyes. Here is where this custom comes from, what the word Prost really means, what the whole ritual of the toast looks like, and how not to commit a faux pas at a German table, where drinking beer together is governed by its own strictly observed rules.
Look in the eyes, not at the stein
The heart of German toast etiquette is eye contact. When you clink your stein with another person, you are to look into their eyes, not at the raised vessels. This is the absolute basis, which Germans observe rigorously. What is more, if there are several people at the table, you must make eye contact with each of them in turn, clinking and looking into their eyes. This may require a moment of attention and coordination, especially in a larger group, but it is treated as an expression of sincerity and respect. Looking into the eyes during a toast means that you are fully present in this shared moment and take the other person seriously. Looking at the stein instead of into the eyes, on the other hand, is perceived as a sign of inattention, even of dishonesty or a wish to hide something. That is why this seemingly small rule carries enormous weight in German drinking culture. Eye contact during a toast is the foundation from which everything begins, and its absence is one of the most common faux pas committed by foreigners.
The legend of seven years of bad luck
What makes this rule so colorful and memorable is the humorous legend that accompanies it. According to a popular superstition, a lack of eye contact during a toast threatens seven years of bad luck, most often described very bluntly as seven years of bad sex or misfortune in the intimate sphere. This humorous warning circulates around German tables and effectively ensures that no one forgets to look the other person in the eye. It must be said honestly, however, that this is folklore and a joke, not an authentic, ancient superstition with a documented origin. Its power lies in the fact that it is funny, easy to remember, and emphatically underlines the importance of eye contact. The rule of looking into the eyes itself is entirely real and taken seriously, but the threat of seven years of bad luck is more a colorful addition than a belief anyone truly holds. It is a perfect example of how humor and a touch of menace can fix a rule of etiquette better than a dry instruction. Thanks to this legend, no one at a German table forgets to look into the eyes.
What Prost really means
An inseparable element of the German toast is the cry of Prost, but it is worth knowing what it actually means and where it came from. The word Prost comes from the Latin prosit, which means roughly may it serve or to your health. This expression took hold in German drinking culture, popularized among others by students, and became the standard call when raising a toast. In more formal situations the fuller form Zum Wohl is used, which also means to your health. By shouting Prost, we express a wish of health and well-being to our fellow drinkers, raising our steins for a shared toast. It is a moment of community and joy that binds the company at the table. Knowing the meaning of this word adds depth to the ritual, because it shows that behind a simple cry lies an old tradition of wishing one another well. Prost is not just a slogan but an expression of warmth toward others. Spoken with eye contact and a raised stein, it becomes a full, correct toast, the kind German drinking etiquette expects.
Do not drink before the toast
Another important rule of German etiquette is that you must not drink before the toast is raised. When the company gathers to drink together, you should wait until everyone is ready, the toast is raised, and the ritual of clinking with eye contact takes place, and only then take the first sip. Reaching for your beer and drinking before the toast is made is considered bad manners and a breach of the communal ritual. Drinking together in German culture is a ceremony that has its beginning, and that beginning is precisely the toast. Drinking before it is like jumping ahead of the line, disregarding the community at the table. That is why one patiently waits until everyone raises their vessels, exchanges glances and cries, and only then begins to drink. This rule underlines how important the communal, synchronized character of the feast is in German tradition. Drinking beer is not an individual act but a shared one that begins with the ritual of the toast. Respecting this rhythm is an expression of good manners and respect for one fellow drinkers and for the whole tradition.
The clink and the tap on the table
The moment of clinking steins itself also has its nuances worth knowing. The steins are clinked together, preferably with the thicker, lower part, which is the strongest, so as not to damage the glass, and it is done in moderation, without excessive force. In many parts of Germany, Austria and Central Europe, after clinking the steins an additional gesture appears, namely tapping the bottom of the stein on the table before drinking. This custom, though not identical everywhere, is a frequent element of the ritual. Clinking and tapping give the toast rhythm and a communal character, joining all the drinkers in one gesture. It is worth remembering not to reach across over another person arm while clinking, because crossing arms during a shared toast is sometimes considered bad manners. It is better to clink with each person in turn, keeping order and eye contact. These small gestures make up the full, correct ritual of the toast, which in German drinking culture is treated with due attention and seriousness, despite all the joy of drinking together.
Where this rule came from
One may ask where this insistence on eye contact during a toast came from at all. There is a colorful but uncertain story about this. According to a popular explanation, the custom of looking into the eyes was meant to protect against poisoning. In old, less trusting times, when vessels were clinked, some of the liquid was supposed to slosh between the steins, so looking into the eyes during this gesture was meant to prove that no one had poisoned the drink, because they would have to drink it themselves. It must be said honestly, however, that this explanation has the character of a legend and is hard to prove, and similar stories about clinking vessels versus poison are sometimes considered fabricated. Regardless of the true origin, eye contact during a toast took hold as an expression of sincerity, trust and respect. Looking the other person in the eye at this moment symbolizes openness and honesty of intention. Nowadays no one thinks of poison anymore, but the custom has survived as an element of good manners and a communal ritual. Its true value today lies in the gesture of respect, not in old, uncertain fears.
Not only Germany
Although the custom of eye contact during a toast is most strongly associated with Germany, it is not exclusively German. Similar rules apply in Austria, Switzerland, and also in many other countries of Europe, including France, Spain and Italy. Throughout this area, looking into the eyes while raising a toast is considered an expression of sincerity and good manners, and its absence bad manners. This shows that we are dealing with a broader, European drinking tradition rather than just a local oddity. For the traveler this is valuable knowledge, because it allows one to behave appropriately in many countries. It is worth remembering that what is obvious in one culture may be unknown in another, and eye contact during a toast is a good example of a custom that is easy to overlook. Knowing this rule protects against a faux pas and shows good manners. Whether we drink beer in Munich, wine in Paris or something stronger in Madrid, a look into the eyes during a toast will everywhere be received as a gesture of respect and warmth.
How not to commit a faux pas
So let us summarize how to behave correctly so as not to commit a faux pas at a German toast. First and most important, look into the eyes of every person you clink with, not at the stein. Second, wait to drink until the toast is made and the clinking ritual takes place, do not jump ahead of the line. Third, raising your stein, shout Prost, or in a formal situation Zum Wohl. Fourth, clink in moderation, with the lower part of the stein, and do not reach across over the arms of others. Fifth, if the custom calls for it, tap the bottom of the stein on the table before drinking. These simple rules will let you blend into a German feast and show good manners. The most important, however, is eye contact, because it is the heart of the whole ritual. If you remember only one thing, let it be the look into the eyes during a toast. Thanks to this you will avoid not only a faux pas but also the jokingly threatened seven years of bad luck, and your fellow drinkers will perceive you as a sincere, warm person who knows the rules of drinking together.
Key takeaways
When raising a toast in Germany, Austria and many countries of Europe, you must look into the eyes of every person you clink with, not at the stein, because a lack of eye contact is bad manners and, according to a humorous legend, a forecast of seven years of bad luck in the intimate sphere. This superstition is folklore, but the rule of looking into the eyes itself is entirely real and taken seriously. We shout Prost, from the Latin prosit, and do not drink before the toast is raised, respecting the communal ritual. The steins are clinked in moderation, without crossing arms, sometimes tapping the bottom on the table. The origin of the custom linked to protection against poison is a legend, and its true value today is the gesture of sincerity and respect. If you enjoy such details and want to taste beer thoughtfully, GustoNote will help you keep your own journal.