اللہ آپ کو خوش رکھے
Allah aap ko khush rakheblessing, religious
A common way to say "God bless" in Pakistan is اللہ آپ کو خوش رکھے (Allah aap ko khush rakhe), "may God keep you happy". Elders also say جیتے رہو (jeete raho), "live long". It is also called اللہ بھلا کرے (Allah bhala kare).
Meaning: blessing (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اللہ آپ کو خوش رکھے | Allah aap ko khush rakhe | blessing, religious |
| اللہ بھلا کرے | Allah bhala kare | blessing |
| جیتے رہو | jeete raho | elder to younger |
اللہ بھلا کرے (Allah bhala kare), "may God do you good", is what people say to thank someone for a kindness, including beggars who receive help.
Which one should you use?
جیتے رہو (jeete raho) is used by an older person to a younger one, often with a pat on the head. It is not used to elders.
When do people say it?
Blessings in Urdu nearly always mention اللہ (Allah), so an English-style "bless you" is turned into a short prayer.
Did you know?
- The word دعا (dua) means a prayer or a wish, and asking an elder دعا کریں (dua karen), "pray for me", is a normal request before exams or trips.
Examples in context
- اللہ آپ کو خوش رکھے۔Allah aap ko khush rakhe.God bless you and keep you happy.
- اللہ بھلا کرے، آپ نے بڑی مدد کی۔Allah bhala kare, aap ne bari madad ki.God bless you, you helped a lot.
- جیتے رہو، بیٹا۔jeete raho, beta.God bless you, dear.
Example conversation
Grandmother Zubaida blesses her grandson Taha before his exam in Multan.
- Tahaدادی، دعا کریں، آج امتحان ہے۔dadi, dua karen, aaj imtihan hai.Grandma, pray for me, I have an exam today.
- Dadiاللہ تمہیں کامیاب کرے، جیتے رہو۔Allah tumhen kaamyab kare, jeete raho.May God make you succeed, God bless you.
- Tahaآمین، شکریہ دادی۔ameen, shukriya dadi.Amen, thank you Grandma.
