buon appetito
/ˈbwɔn ap.peˈti.to/
The English phrase "enjoy the food" is translated into Italian as buon appetito.
Buon appetito is used to wish someone a pleasant meal before they begin eating. You may also use the informal expression Mangia bene! to friendly and informally encourage someone to enjoy their food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase buon appetito literally translates to "good appetite".
How does it change in a sentence?
As an interjection, buon appetito does not change its form based on the gender or the number of people you are addressing.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈbwɔn ap.peˈti.to/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says buon appetito, a common response is grazie, altrettanto, which means "thanks, same to you". This is appropriate if the person speaking to you is also about to eat.
Did you know?
- While buon appetito is common, some older or more formal Italians consider it slightly impolite to wish someone an appetite, as it implies the person might be hungry or lacks a healthy appetite.
- The word appetito relates to the Latin 'appetere', which means 'to strive towards' or 'to aim for', suggesting a desire to reach for something.
- In a playful or ironic context, an Italian might say buon appetito to someone eating something that looks unappetizing or strange.
Examples in context
- Buon appetito a tutti!Enjoy your meal, everyone!
- Grazie, buon appetito anche a te.Thanks, enjoy your meal too.
- Il piatto è pronto, buon appetito!The dish is ready, enjoy your meal!
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are sitting down for dinner.
- MartinaEcco la cena, buon appetito!Here is dinner, enjoy your meal!
- LorenzoGrazie mille, Martina.Thanks a lot, Martina.
- MartinaSpero che ti piaccia.I hope you like it.
- LorenzoSembra delizioso, grazie!It looks delicious, thank you!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buon appetito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries appetito, buon appetito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
