Éternuer

Sneeze.

This is one word I cannot get to stay in my brain, no matter how many times I hear it.  Hopefully by including it as a word of the week, I will manage to remember it in future.  It’s especially important because I seem to be having allergies this summer for the first time ever.

ATCHOO!

The correct reaction is “À tes souhaits” or “À vos souhaits” if you don’t know the person very well.

Rather then the religious “Bless you!” or the Irish “Oh Lord bless us and save us!”, you are just saying “To your wishes” –  hoping the sneezer’s wishes come true.  This is where is gets interesting…

If they sneeze a second time, then you can say “À tes/vos amours” or “To your loves” and if they sneeze a third time, you can say “Et qu’elles duront toujours” “May they last forever”.

I’m sure you needed to know all that.