Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| бу́дьте здоро́вы | búdʹte zdoróvy | formal, plural, singular |
| будь здоро́в | budʹ zdoróv | addressee masculine |
| будь здоро́ва | budʹ zdoróva | addressee feminine |
In Russian, the standard response to a sneeze is a wish for the person to remain healthy. While other phrases like Храни Вас Господь (May God keep you safe) or Пусть Господь вас хранит (May God protect you) can be used as formal ways to wish someone well, the be healthy construction is used for sneezing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "be healthy".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on who you are addressing: use the singular forms будь здоро́в and будь здоро́ва for friends or children, whereas бу́дьте здоро́вы is used for politeness or multiple people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form бу́дьте здоро́вы is formal and should be used when speaking to an elder, a stranger, a group of people or in a professional setting. For informal situations with friends or children, use the singular forms. There are also more religious ways to wish someone well, such as the informal Пусть Бог тебя хранит (May God protect you) or the formal Храни Вас Господь (May God keep you safe).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes to match the gender and number of the person you are addressing: use будь здоро́в when speaking to one man, use будь здоро́ва when speaking to one woman and use бу́дьте здоро́вы for plural or formal contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
búdʹte zdoróvy
Did you know?
- The word здоро́вы comes from the same root as the Russian word for 'strong', reflecting a cultural link between being healthy and being robust.
- The phrase бу́дьте здоро́вы is used in the imperative mood, meaning it is literally an order to 'be healthy' rather than a passive wish.
- In some traditional circles, a person who sneezes three times may be told бу́дьте здоро́вы after each sneeze, or the speaker may wait until the series is finished to say it once.
Examples in context
- Пусть Бог тебя хранитMay God protect you
- Бу́дьте здоро́вы, господин директор.Bud'te zdorovy, gospodin direktor.God bless you, Mr. Director.
- Ой, бу́дьте здоро́вы!Oy, bud'te zdorovy!Oh, god bless you!
- Я сказал: «Бу́дьте здоро́вы!»Ya skazal: "Bud'te zdorovy!"I said, "God bless you!"
Example conversation
Alexander and Maria are in a formal business meeting.
- Александр AleksandrАпчи!Apchi!Achoo!
- Мария MariaБу́дьте здоро́вы, Александр.Bud'te zdorovy, Aleksandr.Bless you, Alexander.
- Александр AleksandrСпасибо, Мария.Spasibo, Mariya.Thank you, Maria.
- Мария MariaНе за что.Ne za chto.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God bless you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
