No matter where we’re from, sneezing is an almost daily occurrence, but how exactly should you respond to one in different countries across Europe?
Whether your allergies are playing up, or you’re suffering from a cold, the sound of a sneeze is universal. But, the responses to a sneeze can be vastly different depending on the country you’re in.
When travelling to new destinations, it’s important to be aware of, and respect, local customs and traditions. With this in mind, we have spoken to our online tutoring experts to explore the sneezing etiquette of 45 countries around Europe.
From the familiar ‘bless you’ to the German ‘gesundheit’, our research is designed to help travelers gracefully navigate even the most basic social exchanges during their time abroad.
UK – “Bless you”
In the UK, people tend to say “bless you” when someone sneezes. It’s commonly thought that this dates back to the time of the Roman plague, starting in 590 AD. Since sneezing was the first sign that someone might have the plague, it’s thought the Pope commanded that anyone who sneezed was to be blessed immediately, in the hopes this would prevent them from falling ill.
Other explanations suggest that people once thought that sneezing expelled your soul from your body, and that saying “God bless you” would prevent evil spirits from taking its place.
Spain – “Jesús” or “Salud”
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In Spain, when a person sneezes, popular responses include “Salud” (meaning “health”) and “Jesús.”
Similar to the UK, Spain’s ancestors believed that sneezing released bad spirits. With the introduction of Christianity in the country, it was then associated with warding off the devil. This is why the term “Jesus” is often repeated to prevent the ‘devil’ from entering the body.
“Salud” is now more commonly used without the superstitious connotations attached. It used to wish that one does not fall ill. If you’re keen on delving into the Spanish language, get started with our Spanish lessons online.
France – “à tes/vos souhaits”
The common reply to a sneeze in France is “à tes/vos souhaits,” which means “to your wishes.” No one quite knows why the French say this, but some say it dates back to ancient times, when changes to your breathing were seen as a marker of the divine spirit being near, so people would wish for good things to happen.
Italy – “Salute”
In response to someone sneezing, Italians would usually say “salute” which translates literally to “health.” This is essentially a way of wishing people good health, which is a common response across Europe.
In Italy, you would also use “salute” to make a toast or to cheers someone.
Germany – “Gesundheit”
In Germany, the common response to a sneeze is “gesundheit”, which also means “health”. Since sneezing is often a prelude to an illness, wishing someone good health, or that you hope they don’t get sick, is seen as the polite response.
Netherlands – “Gezondheid”
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Similarly, in Dutch, you would respond to a sneeze with “gezondheid” which again means “health.” However, if the person has sneezed three times, after the third time you would say “morgen mooi weer,” which translates to “good weather tomorrow.”
Serbia – “Наздравље (Nazdravlje)”
In Serbia, a typical response would be Наздравље (nazdravlje) which is another way of saying “to your health.” However, when a child sneezes, you might say “pis maco” which translates to “go away kitten” since the sound of sneezing often sounds like a cat’s cough.
Sweden, Norway, and Denmark – “Prosit”
Sweden, Norway, and Denmark all respond to a sneeze with “prosit,” though this translates slightly differently in each language.
In Swedish, the phrase means “may it be good,” in Norwegian it means “may it be of benefit,” and in Danish it means “may it help.” All of these roughly translate to “bless you.”
Iceland – “Guð hjálpi þér”
In Iceland, the usual response after a sneeze is “Guð hjálpi þér,” which means “God help you.” After a second sneeze you would say “styrki þig” which translates to “strengthen you,” and if you happen to sneeze a third time, the response would be “og styðji” which means “and support you.”
Whether you’re wishing someone good health, or attempting to dispel evil spirits from someone’s body, every country, language and culture has its own ways of responding to a sneeze.
So, next time someone around you says “achoo,” which language will you choose to reply in?
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: HOW
