भगवान आपका भला करे
bhagvān āpkā bhalā karepolite, blessing
God bless you in Hindi is भगवान आपका भला करे (bhagvān āpkā bhalā kare), "may God do you good". Elders often tell younger people जीते रहो (jīte raho), "may you live long". It is also called ईश्वर आपको आशीर्वाद दे (īśvar āpko āśīrvād de).
Meaning: blessing wish (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| भगवान आपका भला करे | bhagvān āpkā bhalā kare | polite, blessing |
| जीते रहो | jīte raho | elder to younger, blessing |
| ईश्वर आपको आशीर्वाद दे | īśvar āpko āśīrvād de | formal, blessing |
These are heartfelt blessings, said when someone helps you or leaves for a trip. Hindi has no fixed phrase to say after a sneeze, so this blessing is not tied to sneezing the way the English one is.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ईश्वर आपको आशीर्वाद दे (īśvar āpko āśīrvād de) is the more formal and written way, and people of other faiths use their own words for God.
Did you know?
- Touching an elder's feet, called पैर छूना (pair chūnā), is a common way to ask for their blessing.
Examples in context
- जीते रहो, बेटा!jīte raho, beṭā!God bless you, child!
Example conversation
A poor old woman thanks Mr. Kapoor, who helped her carry bags.
- Old womanबेटा, भगवान आपका भला करे।beṭā, bhagvān āpkā bhalā kare.Son, God bless you.
- Mr. Kapoorधन्यवाद माँजी, कोई बात नहीं।dhanyavād māṁjī, koī bāt nahīṁ.Thank you, mother, no problem.
- Old womanख़ुश रहो।khush raho.Stay happy.
