guten Appetit
The German phrase for "enjoy your meal" is guten Appetit.
guten Appetit is a polite phrase said to someone who is about to start eating. It is appropriate for a wide range of settings, including at a restaurant or at a friend's dinner table, right before the meal begins.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "good appetite".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Germany and Switzerland, it is common to use the word Mahlzeit to mean "enjoy your meal".
When do people say it?
The standard response to guten Appetit! is Danke, gleichfalls! (Thanks, likewise!). You can also use Danke, ebenfalls! as a slightly more formal way to say "likewise" in response.
Did you know?
- While guten Appetit is a wish for a good meal, the word Appetit shares a root with the English word 'appetite' but originally meant 'to assail' or 'attack' in Latin.
- If you are dining with someone very traditional, it is considered impolite to start eating before the person hosting the meal has said guten Appetit.
- In German workplaces, Mahlzeit is often used as a general greeting between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, even if no one is currently eating.
Examples in context
- „Guten Appetit!“ – „Danke, gleichfalls!“"Enjoy your meal." "Thanks, you too."This example shows how to respond to guten Appetit with Danke, gleichfalls!Tatoeba #10671671 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10671292 by espamatics
- Guten Appetit!Enjoy your meal!This example demonstrates the standalone use of guten Appetit.Tatoeba #1211 by Dorenda, translation #2370 by CK
Example conversation
Hannah and Lukas are sitting in a restaurant.
- HannahDas Essen sieht toll aus.The food looks great.
- LukasJa, guten Appetit!Yes, enjoy your meal!
- HannahDanke, gleichfalls!Thanks, you too!
- LukasDanke schön.Thank you.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
