por Dios
/poɾ djos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "ong" (an abbreviation for "on god") can be translated into Spanish as por Dios.
This phrase is used to emphasize that the speaker is telling the truth or is being completely serious about a statement.
Did you know?
- The word Dios is an ancient relative of the English word 'sky'. Both words trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *dyew-, which refers to the bright heavens.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, saying por Dios is not just a way to swear you are serious, but can also function as an exclamation of frustration. In these cases, it behaves much more like the English 'for God's sake' than 'on god'.
Example conversation
Elena is telling Javier a surprising story.
- ElenaJavier, ¡vi un oso en el parque!Javier, I saw a bear in the park!
- JavierNo te creo, Elena.I don't believe you, Elena.
- Elena¡Es verdad, por Dios!It's true, on god!
- JavierEstá bien, te creo.Alright, I believe you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dios, dios, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
