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When in Germany, saying “gesundheit” is the proper We’ve all grown up with the expectation that when someone sneezes it is only polite to say ‘bless you’. It’s a fairly universal reaction that has become almost automatic for most people. When you are traveling in other countries, however, you may not know what to say when someone sneezes around you. Depending on the country, the response may mean “bless you,” “to your health,” or some other way of responding. Only one language, Korean, doesn’t have any response to a sneeze. Here is a list of countries with the way each language responds to a sneeze. Germany – Gesundheit Holland – Gezondheid South Africa (Afrikaans) – Gesondheid Spain (and other Spanish-speaking countries) – Jesús, Dios te bendiga, or Salud Italy – Salute Norway – Prosit Hungary – Egészségedre Iceland – Guð hjálpi þér! Indonesia – Alhamdulillah Wales – Bendith Albania – Shëndet Bosnia – Nazdravlje France is a little different from other responses to sneezing. The first sneeze gets a response of “à tes souhaits,” or “to your wishes.” The usual response to the second sneeze is “à tes amours,” or “to your loves.” If there is a third sneeze, the response is “qu’elles durent toujours,” which means “that they last forever.” Sneezing into a tissue is the best way to More About SneezesYou may wonder why people so often sneeze more than once. Sneezes are triggered by histamines in our bodies, which react to dust particles, allergens or other foreign particles in the nasal cavity. When our first sneeze isn’t powerful enough to expel all of the histamine triggers, then we sneeze again. You shouldn’t try to hold back a sneeze. In rare cases, trying to hold in a sneeze can rupture an eardrum or crack a rib. It may seem healthier to just sneeze through your nose and keep your mouth closed, but your nasal passages are not big enough to handle the force of the sneeze. Usually, though, it just results in more sneezes as the trigger remains in your system. Although sneezes should be let out for the health of the sneezer and not stifled, they can spread germs to other people. The best way to cover your sneeze is with a few tissues, which will block and absorb most of the germs. Washing your hands right away with warm water is recommended. Learn more interesting world facts and about global communication in our blog: • The Origins of Summer • New Google Translate Slow Speech Feature • Where Is the Bathroom in German (and 18 other languages) • Skype Releases “Skype Translator” – Translation Technology In English-speaking countries, the common verbal response to another person's sneeze is "[God] bless you", or, less commonly in the United States and Canada, "Gesundheit", the German word for health (and the response to sneezing in German-speaking countries). There are several proposed bless-you origins for use in the context of sneezing. In non-English-speaking cultures, words connoting good health or a long life are often used instead of "bless you," though some also use references to God. In certain languages such as Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese or Korean, nothing is generally said after a sneeze except for when expressing concern when the person is sick from a cold or otherwise. List of responses in other languages[edit]
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Does Gesundheit mean Bless you in German?Gesundheit is an interjection used to wish good health to someone who has just sneezed. It comes from German, where it means, literally, health, and in German it is used as the equivalent of the English God bless you or bless you.
What is the German meaning of Gesundheit?Gesundheit was borrowed from German, where it literally means "health"; it was formed by a combination of gesund ("healthy") and -heit ("-hood"). Wishing a person good health when they sneezed was traditionally believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends.
What do Germans say instead of Bless you?German. Interestingly, Gesundheit, the German response to a sneeze, is also the most common expression for English speakers who prefer not to say “bless you.” It simply means “health,” which is used in a number of languages when someone sneezes (makes sense).
Why do Americans say Bless you in German?SIDE NOTE: In place of “Bless you,” some Americans also say “Gesundheit,” the German word for “health.” The appearance of this phrase was due to the numerous German immigrants who moved to the United States. Many Americans do not even realize this is a German word (and usually are unaware of the true meaning).
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