“Sto lat” in Polish literally means “a hundred years,” and it’s used as a wish for someone to live a long time, stay healthy, and have good fortune. It’s especially common at birthdays, where it works like a Polish “Happy Birthday,” and people also use it as a toast or general good wish.

How it’s used

  • At birthdays, it often stands in for “Happy Birthday”.
  • At weddings or celebrations, it can mean “may you live a long life” or “cheers to your good health”.
  • It’s usually sung, not just said, which is part of why it feels so festive.

Simple meaning

A natural English equivalent would be:

  • “Many happy returns.”
  • “Long life.”
  • “May you live 100 years.”

In short, “sto lat sto lat” is basically a repeated birthday/celebration wish meaning “a hundred years, a hundred years” — a warm wish for a long, happy life.