German · Greetings & Essentials

"Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in German: Gesundheit!

Gesundheit!

geh-ZOONT-hitephrase/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪt/

Bless you! after a sneeze in German is Gesundheit! Say it right after someone sneezes. The literal sense is "health."

Office sneeze

Gesundheit! Brauchst du ein Taschentuch?

Bless you! Do you need a tissue?

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How to pronounce Gesundheit!

Say it

geh-ZOONT-hite

/ɡəˈzʊnthaɪt/

geh-ZOONT-hite. Stress ZOONT; soft final -hite.

"Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in German: quick reference

German	English	When to use
Gesundheit!	bless you! After a sneeze.	After a sneeze.
Gesundheit, und?	bless you — and? Playful second sneeze.	Playful second sneeze.
Nochmals Gesundheit!	bless you again! Repeated sneezes.	Repeated sneezes.
Danke	thanks Usual reply.	Usual reply.

How to use Gesundheit! in real life

1Office sneeze
Gesundheit! Brauchst du ein Taschentuch?
Bless you! Do you need a tissue?
Full interjection.
2Bus ride
Oh — Gesundheit!
Oh — bless you!
Quick reaction.
3Second sneeze
Gesundheit! Gleich nochmal?
Bless you! Again already?
Friendly follow-up.

Mistakes English speakers make with Gesundheit!

Incorrect: Bless you!

Correct: Gesundheit!

Use the German headword Gesundheit!

Incorrect: Zur Gesundheit! (after a sneeze).

Correct: Gesundheit!

After sneezes use bare Gesundheit!; Prost/Zur Gesundheit fits toasts.

Good to know

Germans almost always say Gesundheit! after a sneeze, even with strangers on a train. The sneezer answers Danke. Toasts use Prost or Zum Wohl, not this sneeze phrase.