Gesundheit
/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪ̯t/
The German way to say "bless you" is Gesundheit. Wiktionary also lists hatschi and Helfgott.
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gesundheit | /ɡəˈzʊnthaɪ̯t/ | |
| hatschi | /ˈhat͡ʃi/ /haˈt͡ʃiː/ |
informal |
| Helfgott | Austria |
When someone sneezes, you say Gesundheit. While the English expression "Bless you" has religious roots, the German Gesundheit is a secular wish for good health.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Gesundheit literally means "health".
Which one should you use?
hatschi is an informal way to acknowledge a sneeze. Helfgott is a specific traditional alternative used in certain regions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hatschi is informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Austria, Helfgott is used as a traditional way to respond to a sneeze.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪ̯t/
When do people say it?
After someone says Gesundheit! to you, the standard response is to say Danke (thanks).
Did you know?
- In some very traditional German-speaking circles, it was once believed that sneezing could lead to a sudden death or even a demonic possession, which is why protective words were used.
- If you sneeze multiple times, Germans often repeat Gesundheit for each sneeze, though some people will simply wait for the 'sneeze storm' to finish before speaking.
- The suffix -heit in Gesundheit is a common German tool to turn an adjective into a noun, similar to the English suffixes '-ness' or '-hood'.
Examples in context
- „Gesundheit!“ – „Danke, dir auch.“"Bless you!" "Thanks, you too."This example shows a polite exchange.Tatoeba #5750412 by ruth_tatoeba, translation #5751375 by zumley
- Gesundheit!Bless you!This is a simple use of Gesundheit!Tatoeba #931338 by Sudajaengi, translation #434328 by lukaszpp
- Gesundheit.Bless you.Tatoeba #2235463 by Vortarulo, translation #2111946 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are sitting in a quiet cafe.
- JuliaHatschi!Achoo!
- LukasGesundheit!Bless you!
- JuliaDanke, Lukas.Thanks, Lukas.
- LukasKein Problem, Julia.No problem, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries Gesundheit, hatschi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gesundheit, hatschi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
