Buen provecho
/bwen pɾobet͡ʃo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "enjoy your meal" is expressed as Buen provecho.
Buen provecho is a polite phrase used to wish someone a pleasant dining experience before or during a meal. While the English "enjoy your meal" is often used by servers to customers, Spanish speakers commonly use Buen provecho among themselves as diners or by someone passing by a table of people who are currently eating.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "good benefit" or "good profit," where provecho refers to the benefit or advantage gained from eating.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, such as Chile or Costa Rica, you may hear the variation Disfruta tu comida, which means "enjoy your food".
How does it change in a sentence?
An alternative way to express this wish is using the phrase Que aproveche, which uses a subjunctive verb to mean "May it be beneficial".
How do you pronounce it?
/bwen pɾobetʃo/
When do people say it?
When someone says Buen provecho to you, the standard and polite response is Gracias.
Did you know?
- Depending on the social circle, some people consider saying Buen provecho at the table to be overly formal or even a sign of lower social standing, though it remains widely used.
- If you leave a table while others are still eating, it is customary to say Buen provecho as you excuse yourself.
- In some contexts, the phrase Buen provecho is used ironically when someone is eating something they should not be or is eating greedily.
Examples in context
- Buen provecho.Enjoy your meal.This example shows the phrase used as a standalone polite statement.Tatoeba #2459564 by Shishir, translation #2192197 by acbarbosa
- ¡Buen provecho!Enjoy your meal!This example shows the phrase used with an exclamation for emphasis.Tatoeba #449794 by Shishir, translation #2370 by CK
- "Buen provecho, María." "Gracias.""Enjoy your meal, Mary." "Thanks."This example shows how to respond with Gracias when someone says Buen provecho to you.Tatoeba #11651004 by carlosalberto, translation #11650865 by carlosalberto
- Buen provecho, disfrute su comidaEnjoy your meal, enjoy your food
- ¡Que lo disfruten!Enjoy it
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are sitting down to lunch together.
- ElenaTodo se ve delicioso. ¡Buen provecho!Everything looks delicious. Enjoy your meal!
- MateoMuchas gracias, Elena. Igualmente.Thank you very much, Elena. You too.
- ElenaGracias. ¿Quieres probar mi ensalada?Thanks. Do you want to try my salad?
- MateoSí, me gustaría probar un poco.Yes, I would like to try a bit.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
