Yamas (or “γεια μας” / “στην υγειά μας”) in Greek literally means “to our health” and is used just like “cheers” when people raise their glasses to toast.

Quick meaning

  • Everyday sense: “Cheers!”, said when clinking glasses.
  • Literal meaning: “To our health” or “to our good health”.
  • Full phrase behind it: “Stin ygeia mas / στην υγειά μας” (“to our health”), which shortens in speech to “yamas / yamas”.

How Greeks use “yamas”

  • As a toast at:
    • Family dinners
    • Weddings and celebrations
    • Casual drinks with friends
      In all of these, it’s a warm wish for everyone present to stay healthy and happy.
  • Cultural flavor:
    • Carries a sense of togetherness, friendship, and joy, not just drinking.
* Tied to Greek hospitality and the value of sharing food, wine, and time with others.

If you’re in Greece and someone hands you a drink, looking you in the eye, smiling, and saying “Yamas!”, the natural response is to smile back, say “Yamas!” too, and take a sip.

Mini FAQ

  1. Is “yamas” the same as “yasas/yassas”?
    • No. “Yamas” = “cheers/to our health”.
 * “Yassas” (or “yassou”) = “hello/hi/bye” depending on formality.
  1. Is “yamas” ever “thank you”?
    • No. “Thank you” is “efharistó” (ευχαριστώ); “yamas” is only a toast.
  1. Is it the same as the yoga word “yamas”?
    • Different word, different language.
    • In Sanskrit/yoga philosophy, “yamas” are moral restraints or ethical rules, unrelated to the Greek toast.

TL;DR: “Yamas” in Greek is what you say when you toast — it literally means “to our health,” and socially it means “cheers” with a strong vibe of shared joy and good wishes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.