رَبّ چاہے
rabb cāheShahmukhi
The English phrase 'God willing' is translated into Punjabi using several forms, primarily رَبّ چاہے (rabb cāhe). Wiktionary also lists اللہ کَرے (allāh kare) and اِن شاء اَللّٰہ (in śā' allāh).
Meaning: God willing (intj)
Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| رَبّ چاہے | rabb cāhe | Shahmukhi |
| اللہ کَرے | allāh kare | Shahmukhi |
| اِن شاء اَللّٰہ | in śā' allāh | Shahmukhi |
رَبّ چاہے is commonly used when expressing a hope for a future event to occur. اللہ کَرے is often used as a standalone interjection to express a wish or a prayer, similar to 'Hopefully' or 'May God make it so'.
What does it mean word for word?
رَبّ چاہے literally means 'Lord/God wills' or 'God wants'. اللہ کَرے literally means 'God does' or 'May God do [it]'.
Which one should you use?
رَبّ چاہے and اللہ کَرے are native Punjabi constructions. In contrast, اِن شاء اَللّٰہ is an Arabic loan phrase used widely by Punjabi Muslims to mean 'If God wills'.
How do you pronounce it?
rabb cāhe
Did you know?
- Punjabi speakers may use these phrases to avoid the 'evil eye' by explicitly stating that human plans are secondary to divine will.
- While رَبّ چاہے is used by many, the term رَبّ is a common way to refer to the Divine across different faiths in Punjab, including Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims.
- The word اللہ entered Punjabi via Classical Persian before it became a standard part of the language.
Examples in context
- Let's plan a trip next weekend, ਰਬ ਚਾਹੇ ਤਾਂ if everything falls into place.Let's plan a trip next weekend, God Willing if everything falls into place.
Example conversation
Two friends discussing a job interview result.
- Amanکیا توں نوکری مل جائے گی؟Kya tun naukri mil jaye gi?Will you get the job?
- Simranرَبّ چاہے تے مل جائے گی۔Rabb chahe te mil jaye gi.God willing, I will get it.
- Amanمیں تہاڈے لئی دعا کراں گا۔Main tuhade layi dua karanga.I will pray for you.
- Simranتہاڈا بہت شکریہ، امن۔Tuhada bahut shukriya, Aman.Thank you very much, Aman.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God willing” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries اللہ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
