saúde!
In Portuguese, 'bless you' is typically expressed as saúde! If unsure, use saúde! Wiktionary also lists viva and Deus te crie.
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| saúde! | ||
| viva | /ˈvi.vɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈvi.vɐ/ (Portugal) |
|
| Deus te crie | /ˈdews t͡ʃi ˈkɾi.i/ (Brazil) | |
| santinho! | Portugal |
When someone sneezes, you say saúde! to wish them well. In informal settings, saúde! can also be used to mean 'cheers' during a toast. Another option is Deus te crie, which is a more traditional or religious way to respond to a sneeze, often used by older generations.
What does it mean word for word?
The word saúde! literally means 'health!'
Which one should you use?
While English speakers say 'bless you', Portuguese speakers typically say saúde! (health!) after someone sneezes. In Portugal, the variation santinho! is also used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form santinho! is a regional variation used in Portugal.
When do people say it?
If someone says saúde! to you after you sneeze, the standard response is obrigado if you are male or obrigada if you are female.
Did you know?
- The phrase Deus te crie reflects an ancient belief that a sneeze was a shock to the system that could potentially lead to death, necessitating a plea for God to preserve the person's life.
- While English speakers often say 'bless you' once, Portuguese speakers may repeat saúde! for every single sneeze in a series, whereas Deus te crie is typically reserved for the final one.
- The word Deus is a linguistic oddity because it was derived from the Latin nominative form rather than the standard accusative form used for most other Latin-descended words.
Examples in context
- "Atchim!" "Saúde!" "Obrigado.""Achoo!" "Bless you!" "Thanks."This sentence shows the interaction after a sneeze using saúde!Tatoeba #2447433 by marcospcruz, translation #2447438 by MethodGT
- Saúde!Bless you!
- Ele espirrou, então eu disse: saúde!He sneezed, so I said: bless you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries viva, Deus te crie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Deus, deus, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
