צו געזונט
tsu gezunt
The Yiddish phrase for "bless you" is צו געזונט (tsu gezunt). Wiktionary also lists זײַ געזונט (zay gezunt).
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| צו געזונט | tsu gezunt |
| זײַ געזונט | zay gezunt |
You say these phrases to someone who has just sneezed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase צו געזונט literally means "to health".
How do you pronounce it?
tsu gezunt
When do people say it?
When someone says צו געזונט to you after a sneeze, a common response is אַ דאַנק (thanks).
Did you know?
- The word געזונט shares the same Germanic roots as the English word 'sound', as in a 'sound' body or mind.
- While English uses a religious term 'bless', the Yiddish version צו געזונט is entirely secular, focusing on the recipient's physical 'health'.
- The word געזונט is used in various Yiddish idioms regarding well-being that have no direct equivalent in English, often blending physical health with general prosperity.
Examples in context
- „אַפּטשי!״ „צו געזונט!״ „אַ דאַנק.״"Achoo!" "Bless you!" "Thanks."This example shows a typical exchange after a sneeze where the person responds to the phrase צו געזונט with אַ דאַנק.Tatoeba #10322494 by shekitten, translation #2447438 by MethodGT
- צו געזונט!God bless you!Tatoeba #10624011 by shekitten, translation #269618 by CM
- צו געזונט.God bless you.Tatoeba #10624013 by shekitten, translation #5418175 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Menachem sneezes during a quiet afternoon tea.
- מנחם Menahemאַפּטשי!aptshi!Achoo!
- חנה Chanaצו געזונט!tsu gezunt!Bless you!
- מנחם Menahemאַ דאַנק, חנה.a dank, Khana.Thank you, Khana.
- חנה Chanaזײַ געזונט.zay gezunt.Stay healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations and entries זײַ געזונט, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries געזונט, צו, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
