Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| çok yaşa | /t͡ʃok jaʃa/ (from spelling rules) | informal, singular |
| yerhamükellah | /jeɾhamycellah/ (from spelling rules) | |
| çok yaşayın | /t͡ʃok jaʃajɯn/ (from spelling rules) | formal, plural |
This phrase is used to respond to someone who has sneezed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase çok yaşa literally means "live long" or "live much".
Which one should you use?
The form çok yaşa is used for informal situations, while çok yaşayın is the formal or plural version. Additionally, the form yerhamükellah serves as a religious alternative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use çok yaşa when speaking to friends, family or children. Use çok yaşayın when you are speaking to a group of people or to someone you address with formal politeness. The religious form yerhamükellah is used primarily by more conservative or religious speakers.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people or using formal address, use the form çok yaşayın.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tʃok jaʃa/. The [ch] in [ch]ange represents the /tʃ/ sound, the [c] in [c]ore represents the /k/ sound, the [y] in [y]es represents the /j/ sound and the [sh] in [sh]oe represents the /ʃ/ sound.
When do people say it?
When someone says çok yaşa to you after you sneeze, it is common to respond with sağ ol in informal settings or sağ olun in formal settings. The phrase yerhamükellah is a religious alternative derived from Arabic, meaning "God have mercy on you".
Did you know?
- While çok yaşa is a wish for long life, the person who sneezed often responds with sen de çok yaşa, which means 'may you live long too'.
- The word çok in çok yaşa is a Proto-Turkic root, making the phrase part of an ancient linguistic lineage in the region.
- The response sağ ol used after çok yaşa literally means 'be healthy' or 'be alive', mirroring the theme of vitality found in the initial phrase.
Examples in context
- "Hapşu." "Çok yaşa." "Teşekkürler.""Achoo." "Bless you." "Thanks."This example shows a typical exchange after a sneeze using çok yaşa.Tatoeba #5301650 by deyta, translation #1896429 by marcelostockle
- Amerika Birleşik Devletlerinde, hapşırdıklarında birine "çok yaşa" deriz.In the U.S., we say "bless you" to someone when they sneeze.This sentence compares the use of çok yaşa in the United States to its use in Turkish.Tatoeba #4059392 by duran, translation #4055456 by akin
- Çok yaşa!Bless you!This example shows the enthusiastic use of çok yaşa.Tatoeba #923135 by duran, translation #434328 by lukaszpp
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emre and Elif are studying together in a library.
- EmreHapşu!Achoo!
- ElifÇok yaşa, Emre.Bless you, Emre.
- EmreTeşekkür ederim, Elif.Thank you, Elif.
- ElifRica ederim.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries çok yaşa, çok yaşayın, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries çok, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
