In German
niesen
Meaning: to sneeze
Example sentences
Ichniese,weilicherkältetbin.
I sneeze because I have a cold.
„Gesundheit!“,sagtman,wennjemandniest.
“Gesundheit!” is said when someone sneezes.
Erniestdreimalhintereinander.
He sneezes three times in a row.
Grammar note
“Niesen” is a regular weak verb: “ich niese, du niest, er niest”. When someone sneezes, Germans say “Gesundheit!” (literally “health!”) — the same cultural reflex as English “bless you”, but with a different word.
Common mistake
Don't confuse “niesen” (to sneeze) with “husten” (to cough) — both are involuntary reflexes you'll search for together, but they're completely different words for different body actions.
Quick check
Which German word means “to sneeze”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What do Germans say when someone sneezes?
“Gesundheit!” — literally “health!”, the German equivalent of “bless you”.
What's the word for “to cough”?
“Husten” — a different verb from “niesen”.