# Why do we say "achoo" when we sneeze? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2021, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061 "2021-06-26T14:21:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/1 "2021-06-26T14:21:37Z")
More specifically, why is there any vocalization at all? When I breathe heavily while working out I don’t vocalize. When I cough I don’t vocalize. What is it about a sneeze that activates the vocal cords? Note: prior threads asked why we say “achoo” instead of some other sound; I am asking why we make a sound at all. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/2 "2021-06-26T14:31:25Z")
WAG: At the start of a sneeze you have a sharp intake of breath. This makes the “AH” sound. Then the air is expelled and, for some reason, we close our mouth (mostly) on the exhale (thinking about it now I cannot imagine sneezing with my mouth wide open). That action makes a “CHOO” sound. My father would swear when he sneezed…“AH…Shit” so…¯\_(ツ)\_/¯ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/3 "2021-06-26T14:36:15Z")
Sneezes involve reflex spasmic forcing of air out of the lungs and through the vocal cords which are also affected by the spasm. That’s gonna make a sound regardless. One can modulate the shape of the cords a bit as it’s happening but the end result is usually a vocalization that can be stereotyped into a few typical categories of sound. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/4 "2021-06-26T14:37:45Z")
A sneeze is a comparatively violent respiratory action. Such sudden and massive air movements within the respiratory tract are unavoidably going to make a lot of noise even if you leave the vocal cords out of it. It’s like why a balloon popping is noisy. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/5 "2021-06-26T14:41:03Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > That’s gonna make a sound regardless. Why doesn’t the same thing happen with a cough? It makes a sound but the vocal cords usually don’t get involved. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/6 "2021-06-26T14:43:48Z")
Coughs are more organized, semi-voluntary responses of muscles. Even so, coughs tend to make noise also. The sound can just be stifled/modulated a bit easier. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/7 "2021-06-26T14:56:41Z")
Note to Dopers: do not question the wisdom of Dr. Qadgop. Nothing to gain by that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/8 "2021-06-26T15:04:20Z")
Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’ve been wrong before, and will be again. Sometimes I discover my ‘knowledge’ is outdated. Or was wrong in the first place. Live and learn. Which beats live and don’t learn. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/9 "2021-06-26T15:08:06Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > WAG: > > At the start of a sneeze you have a sharp intake of breath. This makes the “AH” sound. > > Then the air is expelled and, for some reason, we close our mouth (mostly) on the exhale (thinking about it now I cannot imagine sneezing with my mouth wide open). That action makes a “CHOO” sound. > > My father would swear when he sneezed…“AH…Shit” so…¯\_(ツ)\_/¯ Ah-choo seems one of the better onomatopoeia words in the English language, as it fits the sounds produced by the actions so well. Not always the case. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/10 "2021-06-26T16:20:44Z")
My father’s sneezes always sounded like “HAIRPSH!” ---
**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:** [June 26, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/11 "2021-06-26T16:23:16Z")
I’m not convinced that the vocal cords are significantly involved in a sneeze, either. It sounds to me like just a very loud unvoiced sibilant. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/12 "2021-06-26T16:35:39Z")
> **[Aaa-Choo! What happens to your body when you sneeze? - Mediclinic](https://www.mediclinicinfohub.co.za/aaa-choo-happens-body-sneeze/)** > > Mediclinic Southern Africa - Expertise You Can Trust. Mediclinic's Infohub website delivers useful, relevant content about living a healthy life, whatever your age. Vocal cords slamming shut, then reflexively opening are part of what makes the sneeze happen. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/13 "2021-06-26T16:49:49Z")
Relevant wiki page: > **[Cross-linguistic onomatopoeias | Bodily functions and involuntary sounds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-linguistic_onomatopoeias#Bodily_functions_and_involuntary_sounds)** > > 1.In Albanian, pau, puf | > 2.In Arabic, pakh, poof | > 3.In batak. tak | > 4.In Bemba, pobo | > 5.In Bengali, phat, phatash | > 6.In Bulgarian, puc пук, pa па | > 7.In Croatian, puk | > 8.In Czech, puf | > 9.In Danish, bang, knald | > 10.In Dutch, pang, pof, paf, poef | > 11.In English, pop, bang | > 12.In Estonian pops | > 13.In Finnish, poks | > 14.In French, bang, pop | > 15.In German, baeng, plop | > 16.In Greek, bam μπαμ, bum μπουμ | > 17.In Hindi, thaa | > 18.In Hungarian, pukk (quieter); durr, bumm, bámm ... See the “Sneeze” column in that table. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/14 "2021-06-26T17:02:58Z")
My vocal chords are not engaged when I sneeze; it just basically a large volume of air forcefully moving through a semi-restricted opening. In turn, my sneezes sounds pretty much like ones of a large dog. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/15 "2021-06-26T17:43:23Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > My vocal chords are not engaged when I sneeze Sometimes, when I feel like being obnoxious, I engage my vocal cords during the “choo” portion of the sneeze. It’s like a hella loud shout on top of the normal plosive noise. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/16 "2021-06-26T18:02:43Z")
When my son sneezes it sounds like a deep bass “WHOOOORF” sound. With no “ah” to warn you he’s about to do a scary bear impersonation. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/17 "2021-06-26T18:48:13Z")
I discovered long ago that you could actually vocalize when you sneeze. Somehow, I have no idea exactly how, I trained myself to exclaim, “Malahunga!” I only do it in private although I have slipped a time or two. No, I’m not joking. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/18 "2021-06-26T18:53:30Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > See the “Sneeze” column in that table. Lovely…looks like most languages’ sneeze sounds are variations on “achoo.” > [@mixdenny](#): > > I discovered long ago that you could actually vocalize when you sneeze. That’s how I’ve seen (heard) the Japanese force “hakushon” into a sneeze sound. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2021, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/19 "2021-06-27T07:19:25Z")
I say it’s a way to make the sneeze come out of your mouth instead of your nose. Because it can hurt when it comes out your nose. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061/20 "2021-06-29T04:42:11Z")
I have to be very careful not to holler “HORSESHIT!” during a sneeze should I ever find myself in polite company. Luckily, the dogs do not speak English and think it’s me asking if they want to play. Cuz Doge. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-achoo-when-we-sneeze/945061.md?page=2)