よかったね
yokatta ne
The English phrase "good for you" can be translated into Japanese as よかったね (yokatta ne).
よかったね is used to react to someone's good news, such as when they have passed an exam or secured a new job. It expresses that you are happy about their success or good fortune.
Which one should you use?
The particle ね at the end of よかったね adds a sense of shared feeling or empathy, which makes the expression sound warmer than a simple statement of fact.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the expression polite and suitable for speaking to superiors or strangers, you can add ですね to the end, forming よかったですね.
How do you pronounce it?
yokatta ne
Did you know?
- If you say よかったね to a superior, it may sound condescending or overly familiar. In professional settings, even if the news is wonderful, it is safer to use a more formal congratulatory phrase to avoid appearing as if you are judging their success.
- If a person is too humble to accept the praise of よかったね, they may respond with いえいえ 'ie ie' to politely deflect the compliment.
- The word よかった actually comes from the adjective いい, meaning 'good'. It is the past tense form, so the phrase literally translates to 'It was good, wasn't it?' rather than 'It is good for you'.
Examples in context
- よくやった！これからも頑張ってください。Good job! Keep up the good work!
- 試験に合格できて、よかったね。Shiken ni goukaku dekite, yokatta ne.I'm glad you passed the exam, good for you.
- 新しい仕事が決まって、よかったね。Atarashii shigoto ga kimatte, yokatta ne.You got a new job, good for you.
- 欲しかったものが買えて、よかったね。Hoshikatta mono ga kaete, yokatta ne.You were able to buy what you wanted, good for you.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a recent lottery win.
- 陽葵 Himari宝くじが当たったんだよ！Takarakuji ga atattan da yo!I won the lottery!
- 蓮 Renえっ、本当？よかったね！E, hontou? Yokatta ne!What, really? Good for you!
- 陽葵 Himariうん、すごく嬉しいよ。Un, sugoku ureshii yo.Yeah, I'm so happy.
- 蓮 Ren何かご馳走してね。Nani ka gochisou shite ne.Treat me to something nice then.
