que Dios te bendiga
/ke djos te bendiɡa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "be blessed" can be translated into Spanish as que Dios te bendiga.
This phrase is used as a wish or prayer that God grants someone his favor and protection. It is also commonly used in many Spanish-speaking cultures as a parting expression, similar to saying "take care" or "goodbye".
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, que Dios te bendiga translates to "that God bless you", where que functions as a particle to introduce a wish.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish or desire. To address a group of people, use que Dios los bendiga instead of the singular forms. To change the level of formality, replace the pronoun te with le.
When do people say it?
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, this phrase is a common way to say goodbye, serving a similar social function to "take care".
Did you know?
- While English speakers often say 'God bless you' specifically after a sneeze, Spanish speakers use que Dios te bendiga more broadly as a general parting blessing.
- Although que is used here to express a wish, it actually descended from the Latin word 'quid', which means 'what'.
Examples in context
- Que Dios te bendiga en tu viaje.May God bless you on your trip.
- Que Dios te bendiga siempre, hija.May God bless you always, daughter.
- Vete con cuidado, que Dios te bendiga.Go carefully, may God bless you.
Example conversation
Daniel is saying goodbye to Elena as she leaves for a long trip.
- DanielTen mucho cuidado en la carretera.Take a lot of care on the road.
- ElenaGracias, Daniel, te extrañaré mucho.Thank you, Daniel, I will miss you a lot.
- DanielQue Dios te bendiga en este camino.May God bless you on this journey.
- ElenaAmén, muchas gracias.Amen, thank you very much.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dios, dios, que, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
