Dominus vobiscum
“The Lord be with you.”
Roman Catholic liturgy; Vulgate Bible, Ruth 2:4
What does “Dominus vobiscum” mean?
Dominus vobiscum translates as “The Lord be with you.”
A blessing and greeting, answered in church with ‘Et cum spiritu tuo’ (and with your spirit).
“Dominus vobiscum” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Dominus | the Lord | nominative singular of dominus, “lord, master”; the subject of the wish |
| vobiscum | with you (all) | vobis, ablative plural of tu (“you”, addressed to more than one person), with cum attached to the end: vobis + cum |
How to pronounce “Dominus vobiscum”
Stress falls on the first syllable of Dominus and the second of vobiscum in both systems. The main differences are the w sound of v in Classical and the ee-like i in Church Latin, and the u in -cum is more like oo in Church Latin.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “the Lord with you”. Latin leaves out the verb, so English adds “be”, giving “The Lord be with you”, a wish or blessing rather than a statement.
The greeting comes from the Bible. In the Latin Vulgate, Boaz greets his harvesters with these words in Ruth 2:4, and they answer with a blessing of their own.
It became a fixed greeting in the Latin Mass, where the priest says it and the people reply “Et cum spiritu tuo” (“and with your spirit”). It is still used in Catholic worship, and in English-speaking churches the same wording survives in the form “The Lord be with you.”
How to use “Dominus vobiscum”
A fitting phrase for a blessing on a card, an inscription on a gift for a church occasion, or a tattoo or engraving for someone with a Catholic or liturgical background. It also works as a warm farewell in a religious context.
- Latin
- Dominus vobiscum
- English
- The Lord be with you.
- Source
- Roman Catholic liturgy; Vulgate Bible, Ruth 2:4
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- Vobiscum is plural: it addresses several people. To bless one person, the Latin is Dominus tecum.
- Vobiscum is a single word, not “vobis cum”. In Latin the preposition cum is attached to the end of personal pronouns.
- It is a wish, not a description. Adding est (“the Lord is with you”) changes the meaning to a statement.
- The reply is “Et cum spiritu tuo”, not a repeat of the greeting. Do not confuse it with the older English response “And also with you”.
Questions about “Dominus vobiscum”
What does “Dominus vobiscum” mean literally?
“The Lord with you”. There is no verb in the Latin, so English supplies “be” to make it a blessing: “The Lord be with you.”
What is the response to “Dominus vobiscum”?
The traditional reply is “Et cum spiritu tuo”, meaning “and with your spirit”.
How do you pronounce “Dominus vobiscum”?
In Church Latin it is DOH-mee-noos voh-BEES-koom. In Classical Latin it is DOH-mih-noos woh-BEES-kum.
Is “Dominus vobiscum” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct. Note that vobiscum is plural, so it greets a group. For one person, use “Dominus tecum”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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