salud
/saˈlud/
The Spanish phrase salud means cheers or bless you.
Salud is a common way to say cheers during a toast or to say bless you when someone sneezes. You can expand this wish using phrases like ¡Salud y bienestar! (Health and well-being!) or ¡Salud y prosperidad! (Health and prosperity!). If you wish to be more elaborate and formal, you can say Deseo que tenga buena salud to mean I wish you good health.
What does it mean word for word?
The word salud literally means health.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, ¡Jesús! may be used as a response to a sneeze.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈlud/
What mistakes should you avoid?
If someone says salud to you after you sneeze, the standard response is gracias.
Did you know?
- While salud is the most common response to a sneeze, some people use a three-part sequence: the first sneeze gets salud, the second dinero, and the third amor.
- In some regions, saying salud after a sneeze is not just a politeness but a way to 'catch' the person's soul, which was historically believed to briefly leave the body during a sneeze.
- The word salud is a direct descendant of the Latin word salūtem, which served as the root for the English word 'salute'.
Examples in context
- ¡Salud!Cheers!
- ¡Salud, amigos!Cheers, friends!
- Ella estornudó, así que dije salud.She sneezed, so I said bless you.
Example conversation
A dinner party where people are making toasts.
- Daniel¡Salud por el nuevo año!Cheers to the new year!
- Lucía¡Salud, Daniel!Cheers, Daniel!
- DanielLucía, ¿quieres brindar con nosotros?Lucía, do you want to toast with us?
- LucíaSí, ¡salud a todos!Yes, cheers to everyone!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry salud, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salud, CC BY-SA 4.0.
