poftă bună
/ˌpof.tə ˈbu.nə/
The English phrase 'bon appétit' is translated into Romanian as poftă bună. Wiktionary also lists poftă mare.
Meaning: used to wish someone enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA |
|---|---|
| poftă bună | /ˌpof.tə ˈbu.nə/ |
| poftă mare | /ˌpof.tə ma.re/ |
In Romanian, instead of using the French phrase 'bon appétit', you use poftă bună or poftă mare to wish that someone enjoys the meal they are about to eat.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase poftă bună literally translates to 'good appetite'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpof.tə ˈbu.nə/. The word has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The term poftă is shared with other Slavic languages, reflecting the historical influence of Old Church Slavonic on Romanian.
- In Romania, it is common to say poftă bună even if the other person has already started eating.
- The word poftă is also used in Romanian to describe a sudden, intense craving for a specific food.
Examples in context
- Poftă bună, tuturor!Enjoy your meal, everyone!
- Vă doresc poftă bună la masă.I wish you an enjoyable meal.
- Poftă bună, mâncați cu drag!Enjoy your meal, eat with pleasure!
Example conversation
Stefan and Maria are sitting down to have lunch together.
- StefanMâncarea este gata. Poftă bună, Maria!The food is ready. Enjoy your meal, Maria!
- MariaMulțumesc! Și ție, Stefan, poftă bună.Thank you! And to you, Stefan, enjoy your meal.
- StefanMulțumesc mult.Thank you very much.
- MariaCu plăcere.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bon appétit” translations and entries poftă bună, poftă mare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
