The Austrian equivalent for “cheers” is Prost.
A simple pronunciation guide is to ensure the word rhymes with “toast” (as spoken in dialect-free British English). It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.
Prost!
(Um, Prost!)
Instead of Prost, you can say zum Wohl (which sounds a little like zoom vole), particularly if drinking wine. This expression means “to your health”.
Whatever you say, try to avoid mixing terms. So when the first person says Prost to you, say Prost back.
That’s the simple bit over.
If you’re out with Austrians, you also need to know the set of behavioral rituals required when saying cheers (Prost). These apply mostly to beer drinking…
Rule 1
…Do not start drinking until you have completed the Prost ritual
It’s bad form to start your beer before you have said Prost to everyone and they have returned the compliment. Think of it like queue jumping in England: a mortal sin which can lead to immediate arrest and deportation.
As such, you normally wait until everyone has their drinks, where practical. If someone joins the table late, you can even find people apologising for having started before saying Prost to them.
Rule 2
…You say “Prost!” as you clink glasses with each person at your table within reach
This is a horribly nuanced one.
Many philosophical and anthropological treatises deal with the appropriate clinking behavior when not everyone has the same drink. There are three main schools of thought:
A. Clink glasses with anyone drinking alcohol
B. See A, plus those drinking non-alcoholic beverages (but only if they are in the minority and look like they want to join in)
C. Clink glasses with those drinking the same as you and do a general “Prost!” in the direction of others
Special cases:
If people are out of reach, raise your glass at them instead of clinking. If there is a large group of people out of reach, you may raise your glass in their general direction and be excused the requirement to toast people individually.
(It takes years of experience to know the exact distance at which people become “out of reach” and the number of people required to turn a set of individuals into a group).
If you’re the only one drinking then a general “Prost!” to everyone is perfectly acceptable.
(I really need to do some kind of flowchart.)
Rule 3
…Do not clink glasses over or under another pair of clinking glasses
When two glasses come together, they should do so in a free space.
If those to the right and left of you are clinking glasses, you would wait before clinking with the person opposite you, for example.
Cross-clinking opens a portal to hell, through which you are immediately transported to spend eternity eating cake through a straw. (And it’s not Sachertorte, either.)
Multiple glass clinking (as in the photo at the top of the article), where several glasses come together at once, is vaguely acceptable but rare.
Rule 4
…You look each person in the eye as you say “Prost!” to them individually
This rule is important. It is not a time for modesty or introspection. It is a time for declaring yourself ready, willing, and of brave heart and sound spirit.
Congratulations: you are now Austrian.
P.S. I may have exaggerated some of this information. But the general points stand: say Prost, clink glasses and look them in the eye as you do.