los mejores deseos
/los mexoɾes deseos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "best wishes" is translated into Spanish as los mejores deseos.
This phrase is used to express hope for someone's future happiness or success, often used when signing a letter. You can make the expression sound more personal and direct by adding the possessive pronoun mis to say ¡Mis mejores deseos! (My best wishes!).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase los mejores deseos is a literal translation of "the best wishes": los means "the", mejores means "best" and deseos means "wishes".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal business correspondence, it is more standard to use un cordial saludo (a cordial greeting) rather than los mejores deseos.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, felicidades is a common way to convey congratulations and best wishes.
How does it change in a sentence?
While los mejores deseos is the full phrase, you can omit the article los in certain contexts, such as in short, informal notes.
How do you pronounce it?
/los mexoɾes deseos/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, deseo comes from the Latin 'desiderare', which originally meant to feel the loss of a star. It describes the longing one feels when a guiding star disappears from the sky.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, writing los mejores deseos in a card for a wedding or a birthday might feel slightly distant or overly formal compared to the more heartfelt muchas bendiciones, which means 'many blessings'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, expressing 'best wishes' for someone's health is often done with the specific phrase que te mejores, which literally translates to 'may you improve'.
Examples in context
- ¡Le deseo lo mejor!I wish you the best!
- Que tenga mucho éxito y felicidad.May you have much success and happiness
- Espero que sus sueños se hagan realidad.I hope your dreams come true
- Espero que todos tus sueños se hagan realidad.I hope all your dreams come true
- Te envío los mejores deseos.I send you my best wishes.
- Les mando los mejores deseos para el nuevo año.I send them best wishes for the new year.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are exchanging emails before Alejandro starts a new job.
- María¡Felicidades por tu nuevo empleo, Alejandro!Congratulations on your new job, Alejandro!
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, María.Thank you very much, María.
- MaríaTe envío los mejores deseos en esta etapa.I send you my best wishes in this stage.
- AlejandroLo agradezco mucho.I appreciate it a lot.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
