Deus te abençoe
The phrase "God bless" is translated into Portuguese as Deus te abençoe.
This phrase is used to express a wish for divine favor or protection for someone. It is frequently used as a parting salutation or a way to express gratitude and well-wishes in both religious and secular contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Deus (God), te (you – informal singular object pronoun) and abençoe (bless – the third-person singular present subjunctive form of abençoar).
Which one should you use?
While Deus te abençoe uses the informal te, it is the most common way to express this sentiment among friends, family or children. To bless more than one person, the object pronoun changes to os (masculine/mixed) or as (feminine), resulting in Deus os abençoe or Deus as abençoe.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express "God bless you" more formally or when addressing someone with você, use Deus o abençoe (masculine) or Deus a abençoe (feminine) instead of te.
Did you know?
- While 'God bless you' in English is often a reaction to a sneeze, in Portuguese, one is more likely to use 'Saúde!' to wish someone health after a sneeze.
- When a child asks for a blessing, it is common in many Portuguese-speaking cultures for the adult to respond with a specific physical gesture, such as a kiss on the forehead or the hand.
- The word abençoar comes from the Latin bene meaning 'well' and dicere meaning 'to speak', literally meaning to speak well of someone.
Examples in context
- Que Deus te abençoe.God bless you!This sentence shows how to use the phrase as a direct wish.Tatoeba #1421488 by alexmarcelo, translation #269618 by CM
- "Deus te abençoe!" ele chorou. "Salvaste a minha honra.""God bless you!" he cried. "You have saved my honour."This sentence illustrates an emotional expression of gratitude and well-wishes.Tatoeba #12540371 by laetitiamg, translation #7414242 by Hybrid
- Parabéns pelo aniversário, meu bisneto, meu príncipe querido! Tens apenas 13 anos, desabrochas para a vida, que teu ser privilegiado sabe converter em primorosa canção. Deus te abençoe e proteja.Happy birthday, my great-grandson, my dear prince! You are only 13 years old, you are blossoming into life, which your privileged being knows how to convert into exquisite music. May God bless and protect you.This sentence demonstrates using the phrase as part of a birthday blessing for a child.Tatoeba #13203485 by carlosalberto, translation #13203530 by carlosalberto
- Que Deus o/a abençoeMay God bless you
- Deus te abençoeGod bless you
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas is saying goodbye to Camila as she leaves for a trip.
- LucasBoa viagem, Camila. Deus te abençoe.Have a good trip, Camila. God bless you.
- CamilaMuito obrigada, Lucas.Thank you very much, Lucas.
- LucasVá com cuidado no caminho.Go carefully on the road.
- CamilaPode deixar, até a volta!I will, see you when I get back!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Deus te abençoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
