Have you ever heard someone say the phrase “Dios te bendiga”, but weren’t sure what it meant or how to respond? If so, this blog article is for you!
The meaning of the phrase is quite simple and it is often used in English. This makes it easier to find a reply once we know what it means.
Dios Te Bendiga is a Spanish phrase that literally translates to “God Bless You,” and is commonly used to convey wishes for well-being to someone. It is also often used to express concern or gratitude.
As such, an appropriate response would be “Gracias” or “Muchas Gracias”, which both translate to thanking the other person for their kind words.
12 Correct Responses to “Dios Te Bendiga”
- Blessings
- Thank you
- Amen
- Equally
- Thank you for your kind wishes
- I appreciate it
- Me too
- You as well
- Same to you
- God bless you too
- Peace be with you
- God bless us.
Blessings
Bendicion is a common response to the Spanish phrase; Dios te bendiga. It is a Spanish word that translates to Blessings or benediction in English.
It refers to an invocation asking for divine protection, guidance and favor often said before eating or engaging in other activities.
It can also be given as a form of congratulation or expression of gratitude.
This can be considered as a shorter of saying Dios te bendiga. When a person has wished you blessings, you don’t need to think of the correct ways to respond.
You can simply wish the person the same. If you want to respond in Spanish without saying the same thing back to the person, you can simply say Bendicion or Blessings.
Thank you
Another very common response to Dios te bendiga is Gracias. Gracias is another Spanish word that translates to “Thank you” in English language.
It is a common cultural courtesy to express appreciation or gratitude when someone does something for us. In order to use Gracias correctly, it should be said with a tone of sincere appreciation.
For example, if someone performs an act of kindness for you, expressing gratitude with “Gracias” would be appropriate and often appreciated.
When a person says Dios te bendiga, he or she has wished you well so responding with your appreciation would be okay.
While “Thank you” is a correct response, you may want to respond in Spanish since the person has approached you in Spanish. Then, “Gracias” would be the best word in expressing yourself.
Amen
The word “Amen” originated from the Hebrew language meaning ‘Let it be so’. It appears at the end of various prayers and psalms.
It was originally a form of assent or agreement; a form of affirmation with which worshippers collectively agreed with the contents of a prayer or rule.
In present times, “Amen” retains its original meaning and may also be seen as a part of everyday speech.
There are similar expressions in numerous languages including Greek (amēn), Arabic (amin), and Latin (amen).
In English-speaking contexts, it is often used at the end of prayers or even used as an interjection to add emphasis to something someone has said.
God bless you is mostly used by Christians so it may be expected of you to respond like a Christian would. Therefore, saying Amen would be a good option.
Equally
You may have heard Igualmente once or twice if you’ve been in a Spanish-speaking country. It is translated as “Equally” in English and may be the most probable response you’d get after saying a compliment.
Equally o Igualmente indicates agreement to something that a person has said. When you say this, you are implying that you feel the same way that a person feels.
However, this depends on the context in which the word is used. When you are responding to a person’s comment, you are implying that you share the same idea.
In this case, responding with Equally implies that you wish the person the same. The person wishes you God’s blessings. You also wish him or her the same thing.
Thank you for your kind wishes
Responding in English is totally fine and it may even be better if you find it hard to pronounce Spanish. It is better to use the language in which you are most fluent.
You can say this instead of just saying Thank you. When you have been wished God’s blessings, you have the option of wishing the person the same thing or just appreciating what the person has said.
Saying this much shows that you truly value it.
Not everyone would be comfortable with saying this due to the length of the statement. Also, it may sound a bit too official but that doesn’t stop it from being a suitable response to Dios te bendiga.
I appreciate it
You may also consider this option if you think English is the way to go. This means the same thing as the English option suggested above.
Here, you will also be showing appreciation for what the person has said to you.
This is similar to saying Gracias or Thank you but you would be expressing yourself in English. This option may be better than the English option suggested earlier for some people. It is shorter in length.
Aside from that, it sounds less official. You may feel more comfortable saying this in response to a friend or a colleague.
When you are wished God’s blessings, appreciating the good wishes is the right way to go.
Me too
This short option is a funny way to respond and get the person amused. The usual responses given to good wishes and prayers like Dios te bendiga are usually ‘Same to you’ and other statements that suggest saying a prayer or good wish back. This is more like the opposite.
When you say Me too with a smile, the person will most likely smile back and say the prayer for himself or herself (i.e. he or she would say Me too in response), after giving you a nudge or a boxer’s knockout punch on your jaw.
You as well
We have considered various ways to appreciate good wishes from a person. We may also consider wishing the person the same in English.
This is very similar to Igualmente (which means ‘Equally’ or ‘Likewise’). It may even be considered ad an English translation of Igualmente.
When you say this, you are wishing a person the same that he or she has wished you. You can also say this to return an advice that a person has just given to you.
When a person says God bless you, you can simply appreciate it by saying Thank you or wishing the person God’s blessings too.
Same to you
This is a synonym of the option that is directly above. This is a use of different words so you may be able to choose the one you are more comfortable with saying.
Most people may want to go with this option since it is often used in day-to-day conversations.
When you say Same to you, you are telling the person that you wish the person the same thing that he or she has wished you.
This is often said during festive seasons when you wish a person a Merry Christmas. He or she can respond by saying Same to you.
It works perfectly well as a response to Dios te bendiga. Since you have been wished well, you can simply wish the person well too.
God bless you too
This is much more like interpreting what the other person has said but what stops you. A person can greet you What’s up and you may respond by saying the same thing in a different language.
The phrase has been used as a greeting and both parties will understand unless the other person does not understand the language you chose to use in your conversation.
When you have been greeted Dios te bendiga, the person has said God bless you to you.
Instead of responding in Spanish without being fluent, you can respond in English or in whatever language you are fluent in and say God bless you too.
You would be wishing the person the same thing that he or she has wished you. This is a much better option since you will be saying the major words instead of simply saying ‘Wish you the same’ or ‘Likewise’.
Peace be with you
This sounds like something a Christian would say but Dios te bendiga also sounds like that.
This response is quite unique, being different from the other suggestions on the list which focus on appreciating good wishes and wishing the person the same thing.
This does not directly show appreciation. Neither does it throw the same wishes back to the person.
By saying this, you are wishing the person Peace.
God bless us
A nice response to ‘God bless you’ is ‘God bless us’. With this response, you are embracing the prayer that has been said to you but generalizing it.
Though not necessary, this sort of response is often used by people who are struggling.
They tend to generalize prayers for everyone in the group, with the hope that one or all of them will be successful someday and God answers their prayers.
This response may also suggest modesty.