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"bless you (after a sneeze)" in seven languages

Meaningbless you (after a sneeze)

Spanish

¡Jesús!

/xeˈsus/

other source · the name Jesús (Latin IĒSUS)

Also ¡salud!

French

à tes souhaits !

/a te swɛ/

other source · French souhait 'wish' (souhaiter, partly from Frankish *haitan 'to promise')

Formal: à vos souhaits !

Italian

salute!

/saˈlute/

other source · Latin SALŪTEM 'health'

Portuguese

saúde!

/saˈudʒi/

other source · Latin SALŪTEM 'health'

Romanian

sănătate!

/sənəˈtate/

other source · Latin SĀNITĀTEM 'health'

Catalan

Jesús!

/ʒəˈzus/

other source · the name Jesús (Latin IĒSUS)

English

bless you

/ˈblɛs ju/

native English · Old English blētsian

English → Italianbless you (after a sneeze)salute!Not relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The story

After a sneeze Spaniards invoke Jesus (or wish salud), the French wish 'to your wishes', and Italians wish 'health' — salute, which is also their toast.

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • es—¡Achís! —¡Jesús!
  • fr— Atchoum ! — À tes souhaits !
  • it— Etciù! — Salute!
  • pt— Atchim! — Saúde!
  • ro— Hapciu! — Sănătate!
  • ca— Atxim! — Jesús!
  • en— Achoo! — Bless you!

More in Greetings & courtesy

All Greetings & courtesy words