Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| よくできました | yoku dekimashita | [jo̞kɯ̟ de̞kʲima̠ɕi̥ta̠] (narrow) |
| ご苦労様でした | go-kurō-sama deshita | [ɡo̞kɯ̟ɾo̞ːsa̠ma̠ de̞ɕi̥ta̠] (narrow) |
These phrases are used to praise someone for their efforts or achievements. よくできました is a standard way to say someone did well and is the phrase commonly found on gold stars or within feedback in Japanese elementary school workbooks. If you want to convey surprise and admiration for an achievement in an informal way, you can say Sugoi ne (Wow, amazing). To congratulate someone for a job well done informally, you can use Yatta ne (You did it).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase よくできました literally means "did well" or "was able to do well".
Which one should you use?
よくできました is typically used by a superior to a subordinate, such as a teacher to a student, to say they did well. In contrast, ご苦労様でした is used specifically to acknowledge someone's hard work or effort.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ご苦労様でした is used by a person of higher status to acknowledge the work of a subordinate or someone of lower status.
How do you pronounce it?
yoku dekimashita
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ご苦労様でした to a superior, such as a boss or a teacher, as it can sound condescending. Instead, use otsukaresama deshita.
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'good job' to a colleague or boss without being rude, you should use お疲れ様でした, which translates more closely to 'you are tired' or 'you have exhausted yourself'.
- The phrase ご苦労様でした contains the kanji for 'labor' or 'hardship', suggesting that the person has suffered or struggled through the task.
- The phrase よくできました can feel quite patronizing if used among adults, as it sounds like a parent speaking to a small child.
Examples in context
- 大変よくできました。You did a very good job.This sentence shows how to emphasize that someone did a very good job using よくできました.Tatoeba #12725496 by small_snow, translation #3356376 by CK
- みんなとてもよくできました。You all did a very good job.This sentence demonstrates how to address a group to say they all did a very good job using よくできました.Tatoeba #12725493 by small_snow, translation #7830191 by CK
- テスト、よくできましたね。Tesuto, yoku dekimashita ne.You did a good job on the test.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A mother is praising her son for finishing his homework.
- 陽葵 Himari宿題、最後までよくできましたね。Shukudai, saigo made yoku dekimashita ne.You did a good job finishing your homework until the end.
- 陽太 Yotaえへへ、頑張ったよ！Ehehe, ganbatta yo!Hehe, I worked hard!
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くんは、本当に偉いですよ。Hinata-kun wa, hontou ni erai desu yo.Hinata, you are truly a good boy.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとう、陽葵ママ。Arigatou, Himari mama.Thank you, Mom Himari.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good job” translations and entries よくできました, ご苦労様でした, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
