bendito
“bendito” means “blessed” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
blessed, beloved
Also: innocent, dear
📝 In Action
El sacerdote roció agua bendita sobre la multitud.
B1The priest sprinkled blessed water over the crowd.
¡Qué bendito día hemos tenido! El sol brilló toda la mañana.
B2What a blessed day we've had! The sun shone all morning.
Mi bendito abuelo siempre me cuenta las mismas historias.
B2My dear grandfather always tells me the same stories.
Oh dear
Also: Bless his heart, Darn it
📝 In Action
¡Bendito! El gatito se cayó del árbol.
B2Oh dear! The kitten fell out of the tree.
¡Bendito sea! Por fin llegó la ayuda.
C1Thank goodness! Help finally arrived.
¡Bendito! ¿De verdad perdiste el autobús otra vez?
C1Oh man! Did you really miss the bus again?
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bendito
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase best captures the meaning of the exclamation '¡Bendito! ¡Se me olvidó el cumpleaños de mi madre!'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'benedictus,' which was the past participle of 'benedicere.' This literally meant 'to speak well of,' and later evolved into 'to bless' in a religious sense.
First recorded: Around the 10th-11th century in Old Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'bendito' only used in religious contexts?
Absolutely not! While its origin is religious (meaning 'blessed'), it is much more commonly used in everyday Spanish to express strong feelings like affection ('mi bendito hijo' - my dear son) or frustration ('el bendito tráfico' - the darn traffic).
How is 'bendito' different from 'bendición'?
'Bendición' is a noun meaning 'a blessing' (like 'recibir una bendición'). 'Bendito' is the adjective or past participle, meaning 'blessed' (describing something that has received a blessing).