se Dio vuole
/se ˈdi.o ˈvwɔ.le/
The Italian phrase for "God willing" is se Dio vuole.
se Dio vuole is used to express hope or uncertainty regarding future plans. It is frequently used as a parenthetical insertion, meaning it can be placed within a sentence to qualify a statement about the future.
Meaning: God willing (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "if God wants".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Italy, you might hear people say Salvo 'o buon Dio.
How does it change in a sentence?
The most common form uses the indicative se Dio vuole, but you can also use the future tense se Dio vorrà (if God will want) to express the same sentiment regarding a future event.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase is pronounced /se ˈdi.o ˈvwɔ.le/. It has 5 syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, se Dio vuole can be used ironically to suggest that something is highly unlikely to happen.
- In Italy, saying se Dio vuole often functions more as a social lubricant or a cultural habit than as a statement of deep religious faith.
- The phrase se Dio vuole is often used to avoid making a firm promise, acting as a linguistic hedge against failure.
Examples in context
- Domani, se Dio vuole, saremo con i tuoi genitori.Tomorrow, God willing, we'll be with your parents.This sentence shows how to use se Dio vuole as a parenthetical insertion within a sentence.Tatoeba #1949172 by Guybrush88, translation #1949171 by erikspen
- Se Dio vuole…God willing…This sentence shows se Dio vuole used as a standalone expression.Tatoeba #1518492 by Guybrush88, translation #408911 by FeuDRenais
- Se Dio vuole, andròGod Willing, I will go
- Verremo a trovarvi la prossima settimana, se Dio vuole.We will come to visit you next week, God willing.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing plans for a summer trip.
- FrancescoAndiamo in vacanza in Sicilia a luglio, se Dio vuole.We are going to Sicily on vacation in July, God willing.
- SofiaSpero davvero che il tempo sia bello per voi.I really hope the weather is beautiful for you.
- FrancescoSì, Sofia, sarà un viaggio bellissimo.Yes, Sofia, it will be a beautiful trip.
- SofiaNe sono sicura, Francesco.I am sure of it, Francesco.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God willing” translations and entries se Dio vuole, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
