buen provecho
/ˌbwem pɾoˈbet͡ʃo/
The English phrase "good eating" is translated into Spanish as buen provecho.
buen provecho is used as a polite social convention to wish someone an enjoyable meal. It is typically said when someone is about to begin eating or when you are leaving a table where others are still eating.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buen meaning "good" and provecho meaning "benefit", "profit" or "enjoyment".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase is considered a polite social courtesy. In practice, it is very frequently uttered as ¡Buen provecho! to convey warmth and good wishes.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbwem pɾoˈbetʃo/
Did you know?
- While English speakers usually say 'Enjoy your meal' only when serving food, a stranger in a Spanish-speaking country may say buen provecho to you simply as they walk past your table in a restaurant.
- While you might use 'buen provecho' to wish someone a good meal, the word provecho shares the same Latin root as the English word 'profit'.
- In certain formal settings, the response to buen provecho is not a simple 'thank you', but rather igualmente, which means 'equally' or 'same to you'.
Examples in context
- Antes de comenzar nuestra reunión, permítanme desearles a todos un buen provecho.Before we start our meeting, let me wish you all a good eating experience.
- Señor Ramírez, que disfrute de su comida en nuestro restaurante.Mr. Ramirez, may you enjoy your meal in our restaurant.
- ¡Buen provecho, chicos! Disfruten de su comida.Enjoy your meal, guys!
- ¡Que lo pases bien comiendo en la fiesta! ¡Habrá mucha comida deliciosa!Have a good time eating at the party! There will be lots of delicious food!
- Buen provecho a todos.Enjoy your meal, everyone.
- Muchas gracias, buen provecho.Thank you very much, enjoy your meal.
- ¡Buen provecho! La comida está deliciosa.Enjoy! The food is delicious.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are about to eat lunch at a cafe.
- AlejandroLa comida se ve muy bien.The food looks very good.
- LucíaSí, ¡buen provecho, Alejandro!Yes, enjoy your meal, Alejandro!
- AlejandroGracias, buen provecho para ti también, Lucía.Thanks, enjoy your meal too, Lucía.
- LucíaMuchas gracias.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buen provecho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, provecho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
