bless you

This page is about the conversational phrase bless you

Meaning

You can say this to someone after they've sneezed.

For example

  • I kept on sneezing, and the nurse kept on saying, "Bless you."

  • Why do my English-speaking friends always say "bless you" when someone sneezes?

Note:
You can't say "bless you" if someone's coughed, burped, broken wind, choked on something or if they have the hiccups. You can only say it after someone's sneezed.

Quick Quiz

You can say "bless you" to someone

a. if you've just sneezed

b. if they've just sneezed

c. if they're going to sneeze
a) if you've just sneezed b) if they've just sneezed c) if they're going to sneeze

Contributor: Matt Errey