How To Say “Achoo” In Different Languages
Unsplash: Towfiqu barbhuiya
I don’t know about you, but when I start hearing “achoos” anywhere and everywhere, I get a little sad. Because that usually means hayfever season is here. And let’s be honest, nobody wants to catch the seasonal sniffles! But as long as I get those "lucky three" bless-yous to shoo away the bad juju that comes with a sneeze, I’m safe... right?
Kidding aside, whether you get one "bless you" or four, that doesn't actually stop the hayfever. However, the habit of responding to a sneeze goes way back. Across different languages and cultures, these verbal responses started as superstitious beliefs meant to save the soul from literally leaving the body!
Anyway, save your bless-yous for this list of achoos because you might need a few of them… just saying.
| Language | Local Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| English | achoo | ah-chooo |
| German | hatschi | hut-shee |
| Brazilian Portuguese | atchim | ah-cheem |
| Dutch | hatsjoe | hut-shoo |
| Spanish | achís | ah-chees |
| Russian | апчхи | ap-chhi |
| Finnish | atsiuh | aht-see-uh |
| French | atchoum | ah-choom |
| Hungarian | hapci | hop-see |
| Norwegian | atsjoo | at-shoo |
| Swedish | atjo | aht-yo |
| Turkish | hapşu | hap-shoo |
| Italian | etciù | et-choo |
| Vietnamese | hắt xì | hut-see |
| Afrikaans | haksie | hahk-see |
| Basque | astsitsu | ahs-teet-soo |
| Cantonese | 哈啾 | haa-jiu |
| Mandarin Chinese | 哈啾 / 阿嚏 | ha jiu / ātì |
| Tagalog | hatsing | haa-tsing |
| Esperanto | hacu | ha-tsoo |
| Greek | ατσουμ | at-soum |
| Indonesian | hatsyi | hat-shee |
| Polish | apsik | ap-sik |
| Japanese | ハクション | ha-ku-shon |
| Hindi | हच्छी | ha-chee |
| Swahili | hachoo | hah-choo |


