# The sound of sneezing in English and other languages **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064 "2024-10-22T15:58:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/1 "2024-10-22T15:58:57Z")
My three languages are German, English and French (only rather badly). In colloquial speech and also in stories, the sound of a sneeze in German is usually rendered as “Hatschi!” and in French as “Atchoum!”. But I can’t remember to ever have heard an analogous expression in English, so is there any? I’d also like to hear examples from other languages you know. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/2 "2024-10-22T16:16:22Z")
I’ve seen it as mostly “achoo” with occasionally “atchoo” depending on who you’re sneezing at: Who are you sneezing at? Atchoo! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/3 "2024-10-22T16:18:00Z")
Ah, now I remember having read “achoo/atchoo” somewhere some time. It’s more similar to the French expression than the German. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/4 "2024-10-22T16:19:30Z")
It’s “hacu” in Esperanto. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/5 "2024-10-22T16:20:55Z")
Oh, definitely; I’d go so far as to say we got it from the French — seeing as how I was unaware of the French version until just now. So explain “coco-rico” (obviously spelled wrong). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/6 "2024-10-22T16:39:11Z")
Japanese: [https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/ハクション](https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E3%83%8F%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3) Or, spelled out in rōmaji, “hakushon”. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/7 "2024-10-22T21:25:19Z")
My wife does a stifled snort while I do the full ACH-OO! She was brought up to conceal sneezes as “unladylike”, I was told that stifling a sneeze is dangerous (makes your head explode). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/8 "2024-10-22T21:35:37Z")
I don’t how he spelled it or how formal a “word” it was, but I had a Pakistani colleague who when sneezing came out with “Ess-SHU!” ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/9 "2024-10-22T21:43:04Z")
I remember Spanish textbooks having “achis”… ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/10 "2024-10-22T22:05:45Z")
In Hebrew, it’s Aptchi. > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > So explain “coco-rico” (obviously spelled wrong). 😉 That’s the sound a chicken makes in Hebrew. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/11 "2024-10-22T22:12:39Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > But I can’t remember to ever have heard an analogous expression in English, so is there any? So you missed Dave Chappelle’s character in **Robin Hood: Men In Tights**? | Cary Elwes | Cary Elwes | … | Robin Hood | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Richard Lewis | Richard Lewis | … | Prince John | | Roger Rees | Roger Rees | … | Sheriff of Rottingham | | Amy Yasbeck | Amy Yasbeck | … | Marian | | Mark Blankfield | Mark Blankfield | … | Blinkin | | Dave Chappelle | Dave Chappelle | … | Ahchoo | | Isaac Hayes | Isaac Hayes | … | Asneeze | ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/12 "2024-10-22T22:15:18Z")
Never seen the film, and I’ve heard it’s not really Mel Brooks’ best work. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/13 "2024-10-22T22:20:19Z")
You didn’t miss much. The name was one of the “high” points. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/14 "2024-10-23T00:46:29Z")
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Hatch. Hatch who? Gesundheit! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/15 "2024-10-23T01:12:35Z")
And yes, the German “Gesundheit” is in relatively common use in English, as what you say after a sneeze (also “God bless you”). Not for any other purpose, though. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/16 "2024-10-23T01:54:32Z")
Etciù in Italian ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/17 "2024-10-23T02:04:07Z")
Brazilians say A-ching ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/18 "2024-10-23T02:58:17Z")
I remember that from junior high German class, but it didn’t sound very German. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/19 "2024-10-23T03:07:41Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I remember that from junior high German class, but it didn’t sound very German You mean, that’s what the sound is in German as well? It’s sort of a Koo(long) koo(short) ri(short) Koo(long) which, IMHO, actually sounds pretty much exactly like a real rooster’s call if you put some flair into it. It’s certainly closer than “cock-a-doodle-doo” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064/20 "2024-10-23T03:18:40Z")
I don’t think our teacher pronounced it correctly; yours sounds much better. Of course, our class was a bunch of smart asses and we would tell each other to **Kuss mein Esel** (there should be an umlaut over the ‘u’; my tablet won’t oblige) constantly, knowing full well that was incorrect. I wish I’d taken more Deutsch in school. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-sneezing-in-english-and-other-languages/1009064.md?page=2)