The German word commonly used for “cheers” at Oktoberfest is Prost.
You hear Prost when people raise their beer glasses, often followed by a clink and a wish for good health or enjoyment. The expression is the everyday German form of the older Latin toast prosit, meaning roughly “may it be beneficial” or “may it do you good.” Another German toast, Zum Wohl, also means “to your health,” but Prost is the short, familiar call most associated with casual drinking.
At Oktoberfest, the word is closely linked with communal singing and the festival atmosphere. One of the best-known drinking songs is “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit,” commonly translated as “A toast to cheer and conviviality.” Bands play it repeatedly in the tents, prompting thousands of guests to raise their Maßkrüge together.
Prost is a toast, not a general greeting or a synonym for thank you. The related form Prosit appears in more formal or traditional usage, while Prost is the clipped version heard in everyday conversation across German-speaking regions.