A sneeze may be universal, but sneezing etiquette sure isn't. Check out how to say bless you in other languages (and when to say nothing at all).
What does “bless you” sound like in other languages?
Ah-choo. What do you say when someone sneezes? In the United States, the go-to response is “Bless you.” But how do people say “bless you” in other languages … and why?
“Language is often a great reflector of culture and values—and sneezing is no different,” says Lindsay Dow, a global language educator. So whether you’re looking to be polite while traveling or simply want to boost your multilingual vocabulary, it’s worth learning how different cultures respond to a sneeze.
As a language-obsessed, well-mannered firstborn daughter (read: chronic people pleaser) and seasonal allergy sufferer, my curiosity was piqued and I had questions. How do you say “bless you” in other languages? Why do we even say “bless you” or anything after a sneeze? For the answers, we turned to Dow as well as international etiquette expert Ziying Zhou and etymology expert Jess Zafarris.
Read on to learn how to say “bless you” in 10 other languages and the interesting reasons behind these customs.
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READER'S DIGEST, GETTY IMAGES Spanish
What to say: “Salud”
How to pronounce it: sa-LOOD
As in many languages, in Spanish the typical response to a sneeze is a wish for good health: “salud.” In some Spanish-speaking parts of the world, says Dow, the response is “‘salud’ (health) on the first sneeze, ‘dinero’ (money) on the second and ‘amor’ (love) on the third.”
And you don’t need to reserve “salud” for a sneeze: When clinking glasses, “salud” is a toast to good health for everyone present.
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French
What to say: “À tes souhaits”
How to pronounce it: a tay sweh
French speakers respond with a phrase that’s a literal wish for the sneezer’s desires to come true. “We say ‘à tes souhaits,’ which means ‘to your wishes,’ or ‘A vos souhaits’ [ah vo sway],” explains French journalist Ophélie Castelot. “The first one is for someone we know well, and the other, for someone we don’t know well, or someone with a higher authority.”
She adds that older generations have a three-part tradition: The first sneeze gets “À tes souhaits”; the second, “À tes amours” (to your loves); and the third, “Que ceux-ci durent toujours” (may they last forever).
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German
What to say: “Gesundheit”
How to pronounce it: guh-zoont-hite
In German-speaking lands, this word meaning “health” is the most-used post-sneeze response. “Gesundheit” is also common throughout the U.S. and was probably brought here by German immigrants in the mid-19th century.
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Arabic
What to say: “Yarhamuk Allah”
How to pronounce it: YAR-ha-mook ALL-lah
“In Islamic culture, sneezing is seen as a blessing, and the sneeze-response exchange is rooted in religious teachings,” says Zhou. In Arabic, “there’s a full-on etiquette exchange: The person who sneezes says ‘Alhamdulillah’ (peace be upon him) because it is encouraged by Prophet Muhammad, and others respond with ‘Yarhamuk Allah’ (may Allah have mercy on you).” The sneezer then typically responds with “Yahdeekum Allah” (may Allah guide you).
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Russian
What to say: “Bud’te zdorovy”
How to pronounce it: BUD-tee ZDO-ro-vuh
The Russian response to a sneeze translates to “be healthy.”
Fun fact: There’s a Russian superstition that if someone sneezes while speaking, it means that whatever they’re saying is true. In that case, the sneezer will say правду говорю (pronounced as prav-doo go-vor-yoo), which means “I’m telling the truth.”
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Mandarin Chinese
What to say: “Yi bai sui”
How to pronounce it: ee BYE sway
The saying in Mandarin translates to “May you live to be 100 years old.” Travel blogger Robert Schrader recalls learning the phrase while teaching English in China, when his teacher explained it was a wish for longevity, since your heart supposedly skips a beat when you sneeze. After a second sneeze, she jokingly added “liǎng bǍi suì”—”200 years.” Schrader notes that while the phrase is endearing, it’s rarely used by younger generations today.
Indeed, one of the most common responses to a sneeze in Chinese is no response at all. “In some cultures, sneezing is linked to superstition,” says Zhou. “In China for example, sneezing might be a sign that someone is talking behind your back, so responses are best to be avoided altogether.”
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Turkish
What to say: “Cok yaşa”
How to pronounce it: chok ya-shah
As in Mandarin, the response in Turkish wishes the sneezer a long life. Turkish speakers say “çok yaşa”—which translates to “live long.” The sneezer replies, “sen de gör” (sen de gore), which means “And I hope you will be there to see it.”
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Portuguese
What to say: “Santinho”
How to pronounce it: san-TEE-nyoo (in Portugal) and san-CHEE-nyoo (in Brazil)
Portuguese speakers literally appeal to a saint for protection of the sneezer’s soul. They say “Santinho.”
But there’s another response in Portuguese as well. According to fluent speaker Jayme Henriques Simões, the president of Louis Karno & Company Communications, “We say ‘Viva!’ when someone sneezes. Once, people believed that sneezing meant the soul was escaping through the nose, and that saying ‘Viva!’ would prevent the Devil from taking that soul. It means Live!”
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Hindi
What to say: “Aapki zindagi mein khushiyan ho”
How to pronounce it: aap-kee zin-duh-gee main khu-shee-yaan hoh
This beautiful phrase in Hindi translates to “May there be happiness in your life.” In the most-spoken language in India, it’s a kind way of wishing someone well and expressing your hope for their joy and well-being.
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Icelandic
What to say: “Guð blessi þig”
How to pronounce it: guhd bless-ee thee
In Iceland, you respond to a sneeze with pretty much the same sentiment as we do in the United States. “Guð blessi þig” translates to “God bless you.” Although, according to Dow, “It’s not too common nowadays to say anything in many parts of Scandinavia.”
FAQs
Why do we say “bless you”?
It’s a shortened form of the phrase “May God bless you.”
But why would God need to bless a sneezer? “One widespread folk belief was that a powerful sneeze might expel the soul from the body, leaving the person in peril,” Zafarris explains. “Alternatively, some may have supposed a sneeze might create an opening for evil spirits or the Devil to enter one’s body. Saying ‘God bless you’ served as a protective charm, essentially a verbal shield to prevent the Devil from snatching the dislodged soul or to ward off evil from rushing in.”
What is the origin of “bless you”?
The custom of offering a blessing after a sneeze goes back to Ancient Rome. “Romans would say ‘Jupiter preserve you’ or simply ‘Salve’ (meaning ‘good health to you’) when someone sneezed,” says Zafarris.
Later, during a deadly plague in sixth-century Rome, Pope Gregory I allegedly—though likely apocryphally—urged people to pray for anyone who sneezed. “He supposedly said, ‘Anyone who sneezes should immediately be blessed with “God bless you,” since sneezing is seen as an early sign of the plague,'” Zafarris explains.
Are there cultures where you shouldn’t respond to a sneeze?
“In countries like Japan or South Korea, it’s more typical to remain silent,” says Zhou. “Responding to a sneeze may be considered unnecessary or even impolite, as it highlights a personal moment that is best ignored in public.”
Not only that, but in Japan, says Dow, “It’s quite common for the sneezer themselves to apologize with ‘sumimasen’ (excuse me).”
What’s a polite response to a sneeze?
In the United States, saying “Bless you” after a sneeze is good etiquette. “It’s become a habitual convention of etiquette and an expression of empathy, given the uncontrollable physical nature of sneezes and their connection with potential illness,” says Zafarris.
But timing matters. If a co-worker sneezes while someone else is giving a presentation, skip the “bless you” to not disrupt the meeting, says Zhou. “Good etiquette means being sensitive to the situation and those around you.”
Now, the next time you hear someone sneeze, you’ll have plenty of different ways to respond. Unlike a cold, a little cultural curiosity is worth catching.
About the experts
Lindsay Dow is a British language educator and the founder of Lindsay Does Languages, a platform that helps people learn languages. She has more than 20 years of experience, has studied more than 15 languages and has a master’s degree in applied linguistics.
Jess Zafarris is an etymology expert and content creator. She’s the mind behind Useless Etymology, a blog for word enthusiasts; co-host of the Words Unravelled podcast; and the author of several books, including Words from Hell. An adjunct professor at Emerson College, she also shares word lore with nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok.
Ziying Zhou is an international etiquette expert and the founder of Berkeley Etiquette. Following a decade in investment and corporate banking, she transitioned into etiquette coaching, blending her global experiences with training at Switzerland’s renowned Institut Villa Pierrefeu.
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Sources:
Ziying Zhou, international etiquette expert and founder of Berkeley Etiquette; email interview, May 25, 2025
Lindsey Dow, language educator and founder of Lindsay Does Languages; email interview, May 30, 2025
Jess Zafaris, etymology expert, founder of Useless Etymology, co-host of the Words Unravelled podcast and author of several books, including Words from Hell; email interview, June 3, 2025
Berlitz: “How to sneeze & respond to a sneeze in 80 different languages”
Babbel: “How to Respond to a Sneeze in 6 Different Languages”
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