# Urdu: Wedding felicitations



## teaboy

Since we're compiling a list of useful idioms for various occasions, how about for weddings?  There must be expressions about "many years of happiness", etc, right? And "what a beautiful couple you make", etc.  What are the common expressions you hear at marriages?


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## panjabigator

<sadā suhāgan raho> - may you always be a married woman.  An interesting way to wish for the longevity of your husband!


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## teaboy

I've come across _Allah joRi ko salaamat rakhe_.


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## lcfatima

Shaadi mubarak ho.


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## teaboy

Isn't there one similar to "Go forth and multiply" or have scads of children, that sort of thing?


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## Faylasoof

Apart from the ones above, there is also:

_xudaa / Allah kare tum dono kaa suhaag hameshah qaa'im rahe!_

"Go forth and multiply"?

We never put it in such a direct manner! What you hear is something like this (addressing the bride):

_xudaa jald az jald tumhaarii good* bhare!_

_May God fill your lap at the soon_ (- meaning, may you become a mother soon).

Or, simply:  _tumhaarii good* jald bhare! 
                   May your lap be filled soon_!

* this is گود = lap.

Or, addressing both bride and groom:

_insha allah tum dono jald maa baap bano! _
_God willing you two become parents soon!_


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## teaboy

Faylasoof said:


> Apart from the ones above, there is also:
> 
> _xudaa / Allah kare tum dono kaa suhaag hameshah qaa'im rahe!_
> 
> "Go forth and multiply"?
> 
> We never put it in such a direct manner! What you hear is something like this (addressing the bride):
> 
> _xudaa jald az jald tumhaarii good* bhare!_
> 
> _May God fill your lap at the soon_ (- meaning, may you become a mother soon).
> 
> Or, simply:  _tumhaarii good* jald bhare!
> May your lap be filled soon_!
> 
> * this is گود = lap.
> 
> Or, addressing both bride and groom:
> 
> _insha allah tum dono jald maa baap bano! _
> _God willing you two become parents soon!_



Some of those seem plenty direct and anatomical, if you ask me!    I guess they wouldn't be dual-duty -- appropriate for both engagement and wedding...(a little too soon for the fiances...


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## akak

I've heard the more formal-sounding: 

_Allah tumhe aulad se nawaze _
(May God bless you with children)

_Allah tumhe aulad ki khushiyan dikhaye _
God give/show you the happiness of having children


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## teaboy

Are there any about "growing old happily together"?


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## teaboy

I notice all these examples use the tum form.  Seems kind of informal to me, unless you're older to the couple or good friends.


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## Faylasoof

teaboy said:


> Some of those seem plenty direct and anatomical, if you ask me!  I guess they wouldn't be dual-duty -- appropriate for both engagement and wedding...(a little too soon for the fiances...


 
Well, to some extent it is a matter of conventions / defintions as to what is considered direct or not. 

The examples I give above are pretty standard and nothing, as far as i see, anotomical. <_good _گود > is quite innocuous! If however we were to say:
_tum / aap dono jald az jald hambistarii kare.n!_ -- this is very direct and would be considered rude.


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## akak

teaboy said:


> I notice all these examples use the tum form. Seems kind of informal to me, unless you're older to the couple or good friends.


 
These kinds of blessings are usually made by elders. I wouldn't/haven't said any such blessings to older cousins etc getting married, other than "allah aap dono ko khush rakhe." But now with younger siblings tying the knot and going forth and multiplying, I have.


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## petitpoisson

Hello, is it possible for someone to give me a transliteration and translation of this engagement card? I want to give my friend a card in Urdu but I want to make sure this is reliable text that I am seeing =)

http://www.greetings.magurdu.com/images/Cards/S_C274.jpg
http://www.greetings.magurdu.com/preview.php?card=274

(the URLs both lead to the same thing)

thanks for your help!


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## BP.

@petitfish,
It's some cheesy lines that either rhyme badly or have a faute d'orthographe in the last line.

If I could leave the transliteration to someone else for a reason, I'll just translate them for you, even though others will a better job but you might be in need of one quickly:

1) I have given them (him/her) permission through a sign/allusion
2) To steal me if I'm not obtainable through asking/imploring
3) Now even my shadow frightens me
4) If in the realm of the possible, hide me/engulf me within life

Don't worry if it sounds nonsense, it makes just as little sense to me as a native speaker.
A+


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## Qureshpor

petitpoisson said:


> Hello, is it possible for someone to give me a transliteration and translation of this engagement card? I want to give my friend a card in Urdu but I want to make sure this is reliable text that I am seeing =)
> 
> http://www.greetings.magurdu.com/images/Cards/S_C274.jpg
> http://www.greetings.magurdu.com/preview.php?card=274
> 
> (the URLs both lead to the same thing)
> 
> thanks for your help!



maNgnii mubaarak

Happy Engagement (Note: maNgnii means "betrothal" and it is linked to the verb "maaNgnaa" (to ask for some thing)

un ko de dii hai ishaaroN meN ijaazat maiN ne
maaNgne se nah miluuN to churaa lo* mujh ko
apne saa'e se bhii ab to mujhe Dar lagtaa hai
ho jo mumkin to zindagii se chhupaa le* mujh ko

* Both should be either "lo" or "le".

I believe the lines are supposed to be from the female perspective.

I have given him permission through signs and gestures
To steal me if I can not be attained by asking for my hand
I am begining to feel afraid even of my own shadow now
If possible at all, cover me up with the robes of a (happy) life


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## petitpoisson

haha thanks for the help everybody. I can tell you guys would not send this message to a friend! Do you have any good engagement cards you have seen that you would recommend?

thanks again!


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## Qureshpor

teaboy said:


> Isn't there one similar to "Go forth and multiply" or have scads of children, that sort of thing?




There is another well known saying..

duudhoN nahaa'o, puutoN phalo!

In grammatical terms, I believe the -oN ending after both the nouns is a remnant of an old "locative case". Literally it means..

duudh meN nahaa'o, beToN meN phalo

May you bathe in milk (prosper) and flourish amongst (many) sons!


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## Sheikh_14

Faylasoof said:


> Apart from the ones above, there is also:
> 
> _xudaa / Allah kare tum dono kaa suhaag hameshah qaa'im rahe!_
> 
> "Go forth and multiply"?
> 
> We never put it in such a direct manner! What you hear is something like this (addressing the bride):
> 
> _xudaa jald az jald tumhaarii good* bhare!
> 
> May God fill your lap at the soon_ (- meaning, may you become a mother soon).
> 
> Or, simply:  _tumhaarii good* jald bhare!
> May your lap be filled soon_!
> 
> * this is گود = lap.
> 
> Or, addressing both bride and groom:
> 
> _insha allah tum dono jald maa baap bano!
> God willing you two become parents soon!_


I had a few queries pertaining to the suggestions above. Firstly isn't it god and not guud? Is that a curious way some Lakhnavi folk pronounce the term since I am only familiar with H گود  god [S. क्रोडं], s.f. The lap; bosom; embrace?

Secondly, doesn't suhaag apply only to the woman and not the man I.e. it concerning coverture and a husband's love and protection? That being said your way of "tum dono/N kaa suhaag hamesha qaa'im rahe'" does sound very 21st century where the two afford each other equal support and protection. I am yet to hear the term being used wishing a man eternal matrimonial comfort and companionship. Perhaps I am wrong and hope to be guided accordingly. For instance "sadaa suhaagan raho" is something I have only heard being said to the wife. Perhaps the above is merely a metaphorical way of saying may the comfort of each other's companionship and shelter be eternal. Literally, it wouldn't make sense.


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## Qureshpor

Sheikh_14 said:


> I had a few queries pertaining to the suggestions above. Firstly isn't it god and not guud? Is that a curious way some Lakhnavi folk pronounce the term since I am only familiar with H گود  god [S. क्रोडं], s.f. The lap; bosom; embrace?
> 
> Secondly, doesn't suhaag apply only to the woman and not the man I.e. it concerning coverture and a husband's love and protection? That being said your way of "tum dono/N kaa suhaag hamesha qaa'im rahe'" does sound very 21st century where the two afford each other equal support and protection. I am yet to hear the term being used wishing a man eternal matrimonial comfort and companionship. Perhaps I am wrong and hope to be guided accordingly. For instance "sadaa suhaagan raho" is something I have only heard being said to the wife. Perhaps the above is merely a metaphorical way of saying may the comfort of each other's companionship and shelter be eternal. Literally, it wouldn't make sense.


The word is "god". I believe Faylasoof SaaHib's quote is a typo.

Regarding the word "suhaag", it is the state of being married from a woman's perspective. As long she is married, i.e her husband is alive, she is a "suhaagan/in". This would, I suppose, be the reason why one does not say to the husband, "hameshah suhaagii raho".


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