Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA |
|---|---|
| noroc | [noˈrok] (narrow) |
| sănătate! |
These terms are used as a reaction to someone sneezing. While sănătate! is the standard response focusing on health, noroc! is more often used as a toast meaning "Cheers!" or to wish someone luck, though it remains a possible way to say "bless you" in certain contexts. For a religious setting, you can use Dumnezeu să te binecuvânteze! to wish someone well during a ceremony.
What does it mean word for word?
sănătate! comes from the word sănătate, which literally means "health". The word noroc literally means "luck".
Which one should you use?
sănătate! is the more common and standard way to respond to a sneeze because it focuses on the person's health. In contrast, noroc! is primarily used to say "Good luck" or as a toast to mean "Cheers!"
When do people say it?
If someone says sănătate! to you after you sneeze, the standard response is Mulțumesc! (Thank you!).
Did you know?
- While noroc now means 'luck' or 'cheers', it was borrowed from an Old Church Slavonic word meaning 'sentence' or 'fate'.
- If you sneeze multiple times, a Romanian might repeat sănătate! for each sneeze, whereas in English, one 'Bless you' often covers the episode.
- Because sănătate! is so closely tied to the concept of 'health', it is also a very common way to wish someone a 'get well soon' during an illness.
Examples in context
- Sănătate!Bless you!This example shows the use of sănătate!Tatoeba #3159544 by elenacristina260, translation #434328 by lukaszpp
- Noroc!Bless you.This example shows the use of noroc.Tatoeba #582952 by adynee, translation #2111946 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrei and Andreea are sitting in a quiet cafe.
- AndreiA-choo!A-choo!
- AndreeaNoroc!Bless you!
- AndreiMulțumesc, Andreea.Thank you, Andreea.
- AndreeaEști bine?Are you okay?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries noroc, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noroc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
