buen vuelo
/bwen bwelo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "good flight" is translated into Spanish as buen vuelo.
buen vuelo is the literal translation for "good flight". While it is grammatically correct, it is much more common in Spanish to wish someone a good trip using the phrase ¡Buen viaje! when seeing them off for a flight.
Which one should you use?
buen vuelo is a literal translation of "good flight". In practice, speakers often prefer other common expressions like ¡Buen viaje! (Good trip!), Que tengas un buen vuelo (May you have a good flight), ¡Que tengas un vuelo genial! (Have an awesome flight!), ¡Buena suerte en el vuelo! (Good luck on your flight!) or ¡Feliz viaje! (Happy travels!).
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the adjective bueno is shortened to buen because it is placed before a masculine singular noun.
When do people say it?
When seeing someone off for a flight, most Spanish speakers will use the more natural expression ¡Buen viaje! (Good trip!) rather than the literal buen vuelo.
Did you know?
- The word vuelo shares an ancient root with the English word 'volley', both tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European term related to the act of flying or moving through the air.
- Spanish speakers prefer ¡Buen viaje! because the word viaje encompasses the entire experience from the taxi ride to the hotel, whereas vuelo only refers to the time in the air.
- In Spanish, the word vuelo does not just describe a plane trip, but can also mean a 'flight' in the sense of a daring escape or fleeing, though this is usually found in literature.
Examples in context
- ¿Tuvo un buen vuelo?Did you have a good flight?This sentence uses buen vuelo to ask if someone had a good flight.Tatoeba #1698581 by marcelostockle, translation #2229533 by jgauthier
- ¡Buen viaje! Espero que disfrute de su vuelo y tenga un viaje seguro.Good trip! I hope you enjoy your flight and have a safe journey.
- Que tengas un buen vuelo y disfrutes de tu estadía en España.May you have a good flight and enjoy your stay in Spain.
- ¡Que tengas un vuelo genial! Cuéntame todo sobre tus aventuras cuando regreses.Have an awesome flight! Tell me all about your adventures when you come back.
- ¡Buena suerte en el vuelo! Espero que todo vaya sin problemas.Good luck on your flight! I hope everything goes smoothly.
- Te deseo un buen vuelo.I wish you a good flight.
- Espero que tengas un buen vuelo.I hope you have a good flight.
Example conversation
Javier is seeing María off at the airport.
- Javier¡Adiós, María! Que tengas un buen vuelo.Goodbye, María! Have a good flight.
- MaríaGracias, Javier. Te llamaré cuando llegue.Thanks, Javier. I will call you when I arrive.
- JavierEstaré esperando tu mensaje.I will be waiting for your message.
- María¡Hasta pronto!See you soon!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, vuelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
