на здравље
Cyrillic
The English phrase "bless you" is translated into Serbian as на здравље. Wiktionary also lists наздравље and na zdravlje.
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Note |
|---|---|
| на здравље | Cyrillic |
| наздравље | Cyrillic |
| na zdravlje | Latin |
| nazdravlje | Latin |
In Serbian, the phrase на здравље is used when someone sneezes. It is also used as a toast when drinking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase на здравље literally means "to health" or "for health".
Which one should you use?
The phrase can be written as two separate words, на здравље or as a single word, наздравље (or its Latin script versions na zdravlje and nazdravlje).
When do people say it?
When someone sneezes, you say на здравље. If you are in a social setting and people are drinking, you use this phrase as a toast. In a casual setting among friends, you might hear Bog te video.
Did you know?
- The root of здравље is shared with the word здрав, meaning 'healthy'. This root is also found in the Russian word for 'hello', здравствуйте, which is essentially a wish for health.
- In certain Serbian regions, if someone sneezes, it might be treated as an omen or a sign of something coming, changing how you react to the sneeze.
- In some traditional settings, a person who sneezes might reply to на здравље by wishing the same health back to the speaker, creating a brief exchange of wellness wishes.
Examples in context
- Nazdravlje!Bless you.This example shows the use of nazdravlje as a way to say "Bless you".Tatoeba #4996032 by Lebad, translation #2111946 by CK
- На здравље!Bless you!
- Кад год кркнеш, ја ћу ти рећи на здравље.Whenever you sneeze, I will say bless you.
Example conversation
Nikola and Ana are sitting in a cafe.
- NikolaАпчи!Achoo!
- AnaНа здравље, Никола!Bless you, Nikola!
- NikolaХвала ти, Ана.Thank you, Ana.
- AnaНема на чему.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
