alles Gute
The German phrase for 'all the best' is alles Gute.
alles Gute is used to wish someone success or happiness, typically when saying goodbye or celebrating a special occasion. For a more informal way to wish someone good luck, you can also use the expression Ich drücke dir die Daumen, which literally means 'I am pressing the thumbs for you'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase alles Gute literally translates to 'everything good'.
Which one should you use?
While alles Gute is a standard way to offer well wishes, Alles Liebe is a warmer and more intimate alternative used specifically with close friends or family members. For very formal situations, you might use the more elaborate expression Ich wünsche Ihnen alles erdenklich Gute to say 'I wish you all the very best'.
How does it change in a sentence?
This means it functions as a noun, which is why it is capitalized and takes the '-e' ending.
Did you know?
- In Germany, wishing someone alles Gute for their birthday before the actual date is often considered bad luck.
- The word alles descends from the Old High German allez, which shares a common ancestral root with the English word 'all'.
- In some German-speaking regions, instead of saying alles Gute for a job interview, people use the idiomatic Viel Erfolg, which focuses specifically on 'much success' rather than 'all the good'.
Examples in context
- Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute zum Geburtstag!I wish you all the best on your birthday!
- Alles Gute für Ihre Bewerbungsgespräche!All the best for your job interviews!
- Ich wünsche Ihnen das Beste für Ihren neuen Job.I wish you all the best for your new job.
- Für Ihre Zukunft wünsche ich Ihnen nur das Beste.I wish you nothing but the best for your future.
- Ich wünsche Ihnen alles erdenklich Gute zu Ihrem Jubiläum.I wish you all the very best on your anniversary.
- Mit dieser Spende wünschen wir Ihnen alles erdenklich Gute für Ihr Projekt.With this donation, we wish you all the very best for your project.
- Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! Feier schön!All the best on your birthday! Have a great celebration!
- Ich wünsche dir alles Gute für deine Prüfungen.I wish you all the best for your exams.
- Ich wünsche dir alles Gute!I wish you all the best!
- Wir wünschen euch alles Gute für die Zukunft.We wish you all the best for the future.
Example conversation
Maximilian is seeing Julia off at the airport before her trip.
- MaximilianViel Spaß auf deiner Reise und alles Gute!Have fun on your trip and all the best!
- JuliaVielen Dank, Maximilian!Thank you very much, Maximilian!
- MaximilianMelde dich, wenn du gut angekommen bist.Let me know when you have arrived safely.
- JuliaDas mache ich. Tschüss!I will do that. Bye!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
