terveydeksi
/ˈterʋey̯deksi/
terveydeksi is the Finnish way to say "bless you" when someone sneezes.
In Finnish, terveydeksi is used specifically in response to a sneeze, rather than as a religious blessing.
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈterʋey̯deksi/
When do people say it?
When someone says terveydeksi to you after a sneeze, the standard response is kiitos (thanks).
Did you know?
- If you sneeze in a formal Finnish setting, saying nothing at all is often considered more polite than over-reacting with multiple blessings.
- The word terveydeksi is a direct translation of the German phrase zur Gesundheit, meaning 'for your health'.
- The Finnish suffix -ksi in terveydeksi changes the word 'health' into a purpose or a toast, similar to saying 'to your health'.
Examples in context
- Terveydeksi, vaan ei tavaksi!Bless you!This example shows an idiomatic way to express the sentiment.Tatoeba #7836536 by Thanuir, translation #434328 by lukaszpp
- Terveydeksi, vaan ei tavaksi.Bless you.This example shows a simple way to express the sentiment.Tatoeba #7868803 by Thanuir, translation #2111946 by CK
- "Ätshiu." "Terveydeksi." "Kiitos.""Achoo." "Bless you." "Thanks."This example demonstrates the typical exchange of a sneeze, the blessing and the thanks.Tatoeba #4119683 by Orava, translation #1896429 by marcelostockle
- Olkoon siunattu elämäsi.May your life be blessed.
- Jumala sinua siunatkoon.God bless you.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are sitting in a quiet library.
- Mikko*Äh!*Achoo!
- AnnaTerveydeksi.Bless you.
- MikkoKiitos.Thank you.
- AnnaOle hyvä.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries terveydeksi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries terveydeksi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
