bom apetite
/ˈbõ a.peˈt͡ʃi.t͡ʃi/
In Portuguese, 'dig in' is expressed as bom apetite.
Meaning: begin eating (verb)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, people informally use Bom proveito! to express the wish for a good meal.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbõ a.peˈtʃi.tʃi/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says bom apetite to you, a common and polite response is to say obrigado if you are male or obrigada if you are female.
Did you know?
- While bom apetite focuses on the desire to eat, the alternative bom proveito emphasizes the 'profit' or benefit the body gains from the nutrients in the food.
- The phrase bom apetite is a direct linguistic 'copy' of the French 'bon appétit', having been imported into Portuguese through cultural influence.
- If you are at a professional business lunch in Portugal, saying bom apetite is a standard courtesy, but waiting for the host to speak first is considered more elegant.
Examples in context
- A comida está pronta, bom apetite!The food is ready, dig in!
- O jantar está servido, bom apetite a todos.Dinner is served, dig in everyone.
Example conversation
Felipe has just finished setting the table for Juliana.
- FelipeO almoço está na mesa, Juliana.Lunch is on the table, Juliana.
- JulianaObrigada, Felipe! Parece delicioso.Thanks, Felipe! It looks delicious.
- FelipeBom apetite!Dig in!
- JulianaObrigada, vamos comer.Thanks, let's eat.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bom apetite, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apetite, bom, bom apetite, CC BY-SA 4.0.
