guten Appetit
To say "enjoy your lunch" in German, you use guten Appetit.
guten Appetit is the standard and most common way to say "enjoy your meal" or "enjoy your lunch" in German. While it literally translates to "good appetite," it is used to wish someone a pleasant meal just before they start eating.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase guten Appetit uses the masculine accusative form of the adjective gut because it is a shortened version of the phrase Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Appetit.
When do people say it?
In German-speaking cultures, it is common practice to wait until everyone has been served and someone has said guten Appetit before starting to eat. If someone wishes guten Appetit to you, it is polite to respond with Danke, gleichfalls! (Thanks, likewise!) or simply Danke! (Thanks!).
Did you know?
- The word Appetit shares a common ancestor with the English word 'appetite', but its deeper Latin roots, 'appetere', actually meant 'to attack' or 'to strive after' something.
- In some regions, people say Mahlzeit to colleagues as they pass in the hallway, even if neither person is currently eating or planning to eat.
- Contrary to English speakers who might say 'enjoy your meal' while walking away, a German speaker usually waits for the other person to acknowledge the guten Appetit before leaving.
Examples in context
- Guten Appetit!Enjoy your meal!
- Ich wünsche euch einen guten Appetit.I wish you all a good appetite.
- Danke, gleichfalls, guten Appetit!Thanks, likewise, enjoy your meal!
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are sitting in a cafeteria at midday.
- JulianDas Essen sieht lecker aus, guten Appetit!The food looks delicious, enjoy your meal!
- JuliaDanke, Julian, guten Appetit dir auch!Thanks, Julian, enjoy your meal too!
- JulianDanke, ich habe großen Hunger.Thanks, I am very hungry.
- JuliaDann lass es dir schmecken!Then enjoy it!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry guten Appetit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Appetit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
