gezondheid!
The English phrase "God bless you" can be translated into Dutch in several ways depending on the context. If you are responding to a sneeze, the default form is gezondheid! Wiktionary also lists proost!
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| Dutch |
|---|
| gezondheid! |
| proost! |
What does it mean word for word?
The word gezondheid literally means "health".
Which one should you use?
The form gezondheid! is the standard response to a sneeze. While the pack also lists proost!, this is actually used for a toast rather than a sneeze.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Limburg region, the expression God zègne dich. is used to mean "God bless you".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use proost when someone sneezes. However, proost means "cheers" and is used for toasts. You should use gezondheid instead.
Did you know?
- The word gezondheid is an unexpected relative of the English word 'sound' when used to mean 'healthy' or 'stable'.
- If a person has a sneezing fit, a Dutch speaker will often wait for the very last sneeze before saying gezondheid.
- If you accidentally say proost! when someone sneezes, you are socially treating their sneeze as a reason to toast with a drink.
Examples in context
- God zegene je/jullie op deze speciale dag.God bless you on this special day.
- Gezondheid!Bless you!
Example conversation
Noah and Emma are sitting in a quiet library.
- NoahHé, Emma, gezondheid!Hey, Emma, bless you!
- EmmaDank je wel, Noah.Thank you, Noah.
- NoahGaat het wel?Are you okay?
- EmmaJa, het was maar een kleine nies.Yes, it was only a small sneeze.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God bless you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
