Gesundheit
/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪ̯t/
The German phrase for "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 |
The phrase is said to somebody who has sneezed.
What does it mean word for word?
Gesundheit literally means "health".
Which one should you use?
hatschi is an onomatopoeic word representing the sound of a sneeze. Helfgott is a regional variation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hatschi is an informal term used to represent the sneeze sound.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, the variation Helfgott (meaning "God help") is used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪ̯t/
When do people say it?
When someone says Gesundheit! to you, the standard response is Danke (thanks).
Did you know?
- The suffix -heit in Gesundheit is a cognate of the English suffix -hood as in 'neighborhood'. Both are used to turn an adjective into an abstract noun.
- While English speakers say 'bless you' to invoke divine protection, a German speaker saying Gesundheit is actually making a wish for your physical well-being.
- The Dutch language uses the cognate gezondheid in the exact same way, showing how closely related these Germanic concepts of health and wellness are.
Examples in context
- „Gesundheit!“ – „Danke, dir auch.“"Bless you!" "Thanks, you too."This example shows a common exchange where someone responds to the use of Gesundheit by saying "thanks, you too."Tatoeba #5750412 by ruth_tatoeba, translation #5751375 by zumley
- Gesundheit!Bless you!This sentence demonstrates a simple use of Gesundheit as an exclamation.Tatoeba #931338 by Sudajaengi, translation #434328 by lukaszpp
- Gesundheit.Bless you.This sentence shows Gesundheit used as a polite remark.Tatoeba #2235463 by Vortarulo, translation #2111946 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are sitting in a quiet library.
- Sarah*Hatschi!**Achoo!*
- FelixGesundheit!Bless you!
- SarahDanke, Felix.Thanks, Felix.
- FelixKein Problem.No problem.
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.
