Phrase guide

Bob's your uncle

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

phrase

Meaning 1

No problem, the solution is simple, there you have it, it's that easy, you have what you want, all will be well: indicates a desirable conclusion has been reached with ease.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, idiomatic

Examples

  • Insert the plug, press the switch, and Bob's your uncle.
  • You want to go to the stadium? Go straight on until you reach the park, take the first left and Bob's your uncle!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Bob's your father's brother, Bob's your mother's brother, Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt, hey presto, job's a good 'un, Robert's your father's brother, Robert's your mother's brother, Robert's your uncle, voilà

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unknown. Several unsupported theories exist about its origin. A common explanation, involving Arthur Balfour gaining a promotion through the supposed intercession of his uncle, Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, is doubted because the expression did not appear in print until 1924.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 就這樣唄 /就这样呗 (jiù zhèyàng bei) — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Dutch: klaar is Kees — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Finnish: se on siinä — desirable conclusion is reached
  • French: le tour est joué — desirable conclusion is reached
  • French: et voilà le travail — desirable conclusion is reached
  • French: c'est parti mon kiki — desirable conclusion is reached
  • German: und schon haben wir's — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Hungarian: ennyi (az egész) — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Hungarian: már meg is vagy — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Hungarian: már ott is vagy — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Indonesian: Bob adalah pamanmu — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Macedonian: кој ка́ко те́бе? (koj káko tébe?) — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Portuguese: pronto — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Portuguese: prontinho — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Portuguese: está no papo — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Portuguese: não tem erro — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Portuguese: é batata — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Russian: вуаля́ (vualjá) — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Spanish: vualá — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Spanish: listoco — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Welsh: dyna ti — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Welsh: dyna chi — desirable conclusion is reached
  • Welsh: dyna ni — desirable conclusion is reached