Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| бу́дьте здоро́вы | búdʹte zdoróvy | formal, plural |
| будь здоро́в | budʹ zdoróv | informal, masculine |
| будь здоро́ва | budʹ zdoróva | feminine, informal |
This phrase is said to someone who has sneezed. While it functions like the English "God bless you", it is actually a wish for the person to stay healthy rather than a religious blessing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase бу́дьте здоро́вы literally translates to "be healthy".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender and number of the person you are addressing. Use будь здоро́в for one male and будь здоро́ва for one female. Use бу́дьте здоро́вы when addressing a group of people or a single person in a formal context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase бу́дьте здоро́вы is the formal version, suitable for strangers, elders or superiors. The forms будь здоро́в and будь здоро́ва are informal and should be used when speaking to a single friend or a child.
How do you pronounce it?
búdʹte zdoróvy
Did you know?
- In many Russian circles, if someone sneezes, it is jokingly said that they are being 'lied about' or 'spoken of' in a conversation.
- The phrase бу́дьте здоро́вы is also used as a polite way to say 'goodbye' in some traditional contexts, functioning as a parting wish for health.
- The root of the word in здоро́вы is the same as the word for 'sound' or 'whole' in older Slavic contexts, implying a person is 'unbroken' or 'intact'.
Examples in context
- Будьте здоровы!Stay healthy!
- Бу́дьте здоро́вы!Bud'te zdorovy!Bless you!
- Ой, бу́дьте здоро́вы.Oy, bud'te zdorovy.Oh, bless you.
Example conversation
Anastasia and Dmitry are working together in an office.
- Анастасия AnastasiaАпчхи!Apchkhī!Achoo!
- Дмитрий DmitryБу́дьте здоро́вы, Анастасия.Bud'te zdorovy, Anastasiya.Bless you, Anastasia.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСпаси́бо, Дмитрий.Spasibo, Dmitriy.Thank you, Dmitry.
- Дмитрий DmitryНе болейте.Ne boleite.Don't get sick.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
