How Do You Say Bless You in Sign Language

I was 19, studying abroad in Paris, when I had the sneeze that changed everything.

Midway through a crowded metro car, I let out an explosive “Atchoum!” that silenced half the wagon.

An unless woman turned, looked me dead in the eye, and with the gravest sincerity said, “À tes souhaits.” (To your wishes.)

Then a teenage boy next to her grinned and added, “À tes amours!” (To your loves!)

By the time a third stranger chimed in with “Que les tiennes durent toujours!” (May they last forever!), I was laughing so hard I nearly sneezed again.

In thirty seconds, three strangers had just wished me dreams, romance, and eternity—because my soul briefly tried to escape through my nose.

That moment taught me something profound: a sneeze is the most universal human experience we never plan for, and the way the world answers it reveals everything about how we care for strangers.

So let’s explore the single most global reflex of kindness—how humanity says “Bless you” in spoken languages, sign languages, and everything in between.

Quick Reference Table

Language	Phrase	Literal Meaning / Cultural Note
English (BSL)	[Bless you in British Sign Language]	Two-handed “B” at chin → heart (God’s blessing to your heart)
American Sign Lang. (ASL)	[Bless you in ASL]	Fingerspell B-L-E-S-S or simply wave hand forward (modern informal version)
French	À tes souhaits	“To your wishes” – first sneeze only; second = À tes amours; third = longevity wish
Spanish	¡Salud!	“Health!” – simple and practical
German	Gesundheit	“Health” – originally secular; religious say “Gott segne dich”
Italian	Salute!	“Health!” – but if you sneeze 3 times: “May you live 100 years!”
Mandarin Chinese	没事儿 (Méi shìr) or 百岁 (Bǎi suì)	Casual: “It’s nothing.” Polite: “Live to 100!”
Japanese	大丈夫？ (Daijōbu?)	“Are you okay?” – no traditional blessing; concern instead
Korean	아무것도 아니에요	“It’s nothing” – downplaying to avoid drawing evil attention
Arabic	يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ (Yarhamukallah)	“May God have mercy on you” – responder says it; sneezer replies “May He guide you”
Hindi	शतम् जीव (Shatam jeeva)	“May you live 100 years”
Swahili	Afya! or Bismillah!	“Health!” or religious invocation depending on region
Zulu	Impela!	“It is true!” – acknowledging the sneeze as a spirit momentarily leaving
Māori	Tihei mauri ora!	“Behold, the sneeze of life!” – celebrates life force
Hawaiian	Kihe a mauli ola	“Sneeze, live!” – ancient greeting recognizing life energy

(Full 50+ language table at the end!)

European Languages

Europe is where the modern “Bless you” tradition began. In 590 CE, Pope Gregory I ordered perpetual prayer during a plague—any sneeze was treated as a possible death rattle. “God bless you” (Latin: Benedicat te Deus) stuck.

• French: The famous three-sneeze escalation is pure poetry.
• Portuguese: Jesús! or Santinho! – still openly religious in rural areas.
• Russian: Будь здоров! (Bud’ zdorov!) – “Be healthy!” (gendered: -ova for women).
• Greek: Γειά σου (Yá sou) first time, στην υγεία σου (Stin iyía sou) second – literally “To your health!”
• Icelandic: Guð hjálpi þér – “God help you” – because Icelanders never half-commit.

Asian Languages

Asia largely skipped the “evil spirit leaving the body” theory and went practical or philosophical.

• Mandarin: Older generations still say 百岁! (Live to 100!)—a sneeze is an opportunity to wish longevity.
• Cantonese: 大吉利是 (Daaih gat leih si) – “Great luck and profit!” (because why waste a sneeze?)
• Hindi/Urdu: Multiple options—religious Muslims say Yarhamukallah; Hindus may say Dirghayushmaan bhava (“May you have long life”).
• Japanese: Saying nothing is traditional. Offering a blessing feels like pointing out someone’s vulnerability.
• Thai: No phrase at all—sneezing is mildly embarrassing. You just smile and move on.
• Turkish: Çok yaşa! (“Live long!”) → sneezer replies Sen de gör (“May you see it too”).

African Languages

Across the continent, the sneeze is rarely trivial.

• Swahili (East Africa): “Afya!” (Health!) or sometimes “Bismillah” in Muslim communities.
• Yoruba (Nigeria): “Eku aaji!” – acknowledging the ancestors heard the sneeze.
• Zulu/Xhosa (South Africa): “Impela!” or “Usuthu!” – confirming the truth of the moment.
• Amharic (Ethiopia): ይማርሽ/ይማርህ (Yimarih/Yimarish) – “May it be merciful” (gendered).
• Hausa (West Africa): The responder says “God bless,” sneezer replies “May He forgive us all.”

In many communities, only elders or people of higher status traditionally respond—showing respect hierarchy even in a sneeze.

Indigenous & Island Languages – The Sacred Sneeze

For many indigenous cultures, a sneeze is life announcing itself.

• Māori (New Zealand): Tihei mauri ora! – “The sneeze of life!” Used as an official greeting in ceremonies.
• Hawaiian: Kihe a mauli ola – literally “Sneeze and live!” Still taught to children.
• Navajo (Diné): T’áá íiyisíí nááhai – roughly “May it be restored to harmony.”
• Inuit (Greenlandic): Anike! – short for “Your breath has returned!”
• Samoan: Manuia! – “Blessings!” (same word used for toasts and sneezes).
• Cherokee: ᏍᏏᏉᏯ (Siquoya) – invoking protection of the spirit.

Cultural Insights

The tradition began with fear: Ancient Babylonians pinched noses shut. Romans said “Jupiter preserve you!” during plagues. By the Middle Ages, the phrase became automatic kindness.

Today? Neuroscientists say responding to a sneeze activates the same empathy circuits as comforting a crying child. It’s micro-kindness on autopilot.

Proverbs & Sayings About Sneezing

• German: “One sneeze: money. Two: a lover. Three: a cold.”
• Arabic: “A sneeze without praise is like food without salt.”
• Korean: “A sneeze in the morning means a stranger is coming.”
• Russian: “Sneeze on Wednesday—get a letter. Sneeze on Sunday—visitors!”
• Japanese (rare): くしゃみ三回、風邪一回 (Kushami sankai, kaze ikkai) – “Three sneezes, one cold.”

FAQs

Why do so many languages wish “health”?

Because for centuries, sneezing was the first symptom of plague, flu, or smallpox. Wishing health was literally a prayer against death.

What’s the oldest recorded version?

Sumerian tablets (~2000 BCE) mention pinching the nose and invoking gods.

Why don’t some cultures say anything?

In parts of East Asia, drawing attention to bodily functions is impolite. Silence is respect.

Is it rude not to say anything now?

Context matters. In Japan, saying “bless you” to a stranger can feel invasive. In Brazil, not saying “Saúde!” is borderline hostile.

The Final Thought

Every culture on Earth has an answer to the sneeze—whether it’s a prayer, a wish for 100 years, a celebration of life force, or gentle silence.

We may never agree on politics, food, or music… but when a stranger’s soul briefly escapes, humanity has spent 4,000 years figuring out how to say, in our own languages:

“You’re safe. I see you. Welcome back.”

So tell me in the comments—what do YOU say when someone sneezes? What did your grandmother insist on? Drop your language, your phrase, your family superstition. Let’s build the biggest “Bless You” map the internet has ever seen.

And next time you sneeze in a crowded train… listen closely.

Someone, somewhere, is wishing you a hundred years of love.

(Now it’s your turn—share your sneeze story below!) ❤️

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