Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Sneeze in Spanish: Estornudo & Estornudar
Estornudo · noun (masculine) / verb · ehs-tohr-NOO-doh
Sneeze as a noun is estornudo in Spanish. The verb to sneeze is estornudar — a regular -ar verb. After someone sneezes, Spanish speakers say ¡Salud! (Health!) as the equivalent of Bless you.
ehs-tohr-NOO-doh (estornudo, noun) / ehs-tohr-noo-DAHR (estornudar, verb).
No puedo parar de estornudar.
I can't stop sneezing.
Sneeze in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sneeze, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| estornudo | sneeze | ehs-tohr-NOO-doh | Default, widely understood |
| estornudar | sneeze | verb: to sneeze |
How Native Speakers Use Estornudo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing the action
Estornudé seis veces seguidas por el polvo.
I sneezed six times in a row because of the dust.
Estornudar is regular: estornudé, estornudaste, estornudó, etc.
The noun
Ese estornudo fue tan fuerte que todos voltearon.
That sneeze was so loud that everyone turned around.
Un estornudo (a sneeze) is masculine: el estornudo.
Response to a sneeze
¡Salud! — Gracias.
Bless you! — Thanks.
In Spanish, you say ¡Salud! after someone sneezes, not a religious blessing.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Estornudo
Saying estornuar instead of estornudar
Incorrect: No paro de estornuar.
Correct: No paro de estornudar.
The correct verb is estornudar (not estornuar). The -ud- in the middle is essential.
Using an English calque
Incorrect: Hice un sniz.
Correct: Hice un estornudo. / Estornudé.
There is no English loanword for sneeze in Spanish. The established word is estornudo/estornudar.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Estornudo used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Sneeze in Spanish
- How do you say sneeze in Spanish?
- The noun is estornudo. The verb is estornudar. Both are derived from the Latin sternuere.
- What do Spanish speakers say after someone sneezes?
- The standard response is ¡Salud!, which literally means health — (Health!). Some people follow with ¡Dinero! (Money!) after a second sneeze and ¡Amor! (Love!) after a third.
- Is estornudar regular or irregular?
- Estornudar is a perfectly regular -ar verb. Conjugate it like hablar: estornudo, estornudas, estornuda, estornudamos, estornudan.