будь здоро́в
budʹ zdoróvinformal, masculine
In Russian, "bless you" is expressed as будь здоро́в (budʹ zdoróv). Wiktionary also lists будь здоро́ва (budʹ zdoróva) and бу́дьте здоро́вы (búdʹte zdoróvy).
Meaning: said to somebody who has sneezed (intj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| будь здоро́в | budʹ zdoróv | informal, masculine |
| будь здоро́ва | budʹ zdoróva | feminine, informal |
| бу́дьте здоро́вы | búdʹte zdoróvy | formal, plural |
The phrase is used as a response to someone who has just sneezed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "be healthy".
Which one should you use?
The forms change based on the gender of the person sneezing and the level of politeness required. Use будь здоро́в for a man, будь здоро́ва for a woman and бу́дьте здоро́вы for a group or a person you are addressing formally.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
будь здоро́в and будь здоро́ва are informal versions used among friends and family. бу́дьте здоро́вы is the standard formal way to say it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gender and number of the subject determine the form: будь здоро́в is the masculine singular, будь здоро́ва is the feminine singular and бу́дьте здоро́вы is the plural or formal form.
How do you pronounce it?
budʹ zdoróv
Did you know?
- In many Slavic traditions, sneezing was once thought to be a moment when the soul could momentarily leave the body, which explains why the phrase focuses on the person's physical state of being.
- The phrase будь здоро́в is a command in the imperative mood, literally ordering the person to be healthy, rather than a prayer or a wish.
- The root of здоро́в is related to the Old Church Slavonic word for 'whole' or 'unharmed', meaning the phrase originally wished for the person to remain intact.
Examples in context
- Скажите, как говорят 'Будьте здоровы' после чихания?Can you tell me how to say 'bless you' after sneezing?
- Он чихнул, и я сказал: «Будь здоро́в!»On chikhnul, i ya skazal: "Bud' zdorov!"He sneezed, and I said, "Bless you!"
- Просто скажи ему: «Будь здоро́в».Prosto skazhi yemu: "Bud' zdorov".Just say to him, "Bless you."
Example conversation
Sergey sneezes during a quiet conversation in a park.
- Мария MariaБудь здоро́в, Сере́жа!Bud' zdorov, Seryozha!Bless you, Seryozha!
- Сергей SergeyСпаси́бо, Ма́рия.Spasibo, Mariya.Thank you, Maria.
- Мария MariaТы не простудился?Ty ne prostudilsya?Are you not catching a cold?
- Сергей SergeyНет, всё хорошо.Net, vsyo khorosho.No, everything is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bless you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
