Korean · Greetings & Essentials
"Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in Korean: 건강하세요
건강하세요geonganghaseyo
Note: Korean has no universal sneeze response equivalent to English bless you; this means stay healthy.
Korean does not require a fixed “bless you” response after a sneeze. 건강하세요 (geonganghaseyo) means stay healthy and is a related well-wish, rather than a literal religious blessing.
Bless you! (after a sneeze): starting the exchange
항상 건강하세요.hangsang geonganghaseyo.
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How to pronounce 건강하세요
Say it
geonganghaseyo
/kʌnkaŋhasejo/
건강하세요 is read geonganghaseyo. In 건강하게 지내세요, read the full phrase as geonganghage jinaeseyo.
"Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in Korean: quick reference
| Korean | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 건강하세요geonganghaseyo | stay healthy (related well-wish) The inventory form for bless you! (after a sneeze). | The inventory form for bless you! (after a sneeze). |
| 건강하게 지내세요geonganghage jinaeseyo | stay healthy 건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing. | 건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing. |
How to use 건강하세요 in real life
- 1Bless you! (after a sneeze): starting the exchange
항상 건강하세요.
hangsang geonganghaseyo.
Stay healthy always.
건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
- 2Bless you! (after a sneeze): adding useful context
추운 날씨에도 건강하세요.
chuun nalssiedo geonganghaseyo.
Stay healthy even in cold weather.
This sentence places 건강하세요 in a complete exchange.
- 3Bless you! (after a sneeze): a different conversation
부모님도 건강하세요.
bumonimdo geonganghaseyo.
Your parents are healthy too.
This sentence places 건강하세요 in a complete exchange.
Mistakes English speakers make with 건강하세요
Incorrect: 건강해세요.
Correct: 건강하세요.
When practicing bless you! (after a sneeze), build the respectful ending from 건강하, not from the contracted present form 건강해.
Incorrect: 건강하세요요.
Correct: 건강하세요.
When practicing bless you! (after a sneeze), 세요 already includes the polite ending; adding another 요 repeats it.
Good to know
건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Tutor-led greetings and essentials study exercise: two sentences with 건강하세요
Partner
이 표현을 사용해서 한 문장 말해 볼까요?
i pyohyeoneul sayonghaeseo han munjang malhae bolkkayo?
Shall we say a sentence using this expression?
You
항상 건강하세요.
hangsang geonganghaseyo.
Stay healthy always.
Partner
좋아요. 다른 문장으로도 연습해 볼까요?
joayo. dareun munjangeurodo yeonseupae bolkkayo?
Good. Shall we practice with another sentence too?
You
추운 날씨에도 건강하세요.
chuun nalssiedo geonganghaseyo.
Stay healthy even in cold weather.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Bless you! (after a sneeze)" in Korean
What does 건강하세요 mean?
Bless you! (after a sneeze) in Korean is 건강하세요 (geonganghaseyo). 건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
When should I say 건강하게 지내세요?
건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
How does 건강하게 지내세요 differ from the basic expression?
건강하게 지내세요 means “stay healthy”. 건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
Can I use 건강하세요 in a full sentence?
항상 건강하세요. means “Stay healthy always.” 건강하세요 means stay healthy; it is not a required Korean response to every sneeze or a literal religious blessing.
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