خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے
khuda aap ko salamat rakhe
The English phrase "God bless" can be translated into Urdu as خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے (khuda aap ko salamat rakhe).
This phrase is a way to express a wish for someone's well-being or protection. It is commonly used when saying goodbye to someone or as a way to express gratitude for someone's kindness.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "May God keep you safe" or "May God keep you in safety."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے is polite and respectful, making it suitable for offering a blessing to elders or strangers. To make the phrase less formal for use with friends or younger people, you can replace the polite pronoun aap ko with the informal tumhein (as in خدا تمہیں سلامت رکھے).
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the verb rakhe is in the subjunctive mood, which is used to express a wish or a prayer rather than a statement of fact.
How do you pronounce it?
khuda aap ko salamat rakhe
Did you know?
- The particle کو meaning 'to' evolved from an ancient word that originally meant 'in the armpit'.
- When receiving this blessing, a common response is not just 'thank you' but a reciprocal prayer for the other person's well-being.
- Because خدا is a Persian term, this phrase is often perceived as more poetic or neutral than using the Arabic-derived اللہ.
Examples in context
- خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے۔Khuda aap ko salamat rakhe.May God keep you safe.
- خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے اور خوش رکھے۔Khuda aap ko salamat rakhe aur khush rakhe.May God keep you safe and happy.
- میری دعا ہے کہ خدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے۔Meri dua hai ke Khuda aap ko salamat rakhe.My prayer is that God keeps you safe.
Example conversation
A daughter is seeing her father off on a long journey.
- عائشہ Ayeshaخدا آپ کو سلامت رکھے، ابا جان۔Khuda aap ko salamat rakhe, Abba jaan.May God keep you safe, Father.
- عمر Omarشکریہ، میری پیاری بیٹی۔Shukriya, meri pyaari beti.Thank you, my dear daughter.
- عائشہ Ayeshaاپنا بہت خیال رکھیے گا۔Apna bohat khayal rakhiye ga.Please take great care of yourself.
- عمر Omarمیں بالکل ٹھیک ہوں، فکر نہ کرو۔Main bilkul theek hoon, fikar na karo.I will be fine, don't worry.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آپ, خدا, سلامت, کو, CC BY-SA 4.0.
