buen trabajo
/bwen tɾabaxo/from spelling rules
buen trabajo is the Spanish phrase for "good job".
buen trabajo is used to praise someone for their efforts or for a job well done. It is a literal translation of "good job".
Meaning: a phrase used to praise for a good job or efforts (intj)
Which one should you use?
While buen trabajo is a literal translation of "good job", native speakers often use bien hecho to mean "well done" when praising a specific task.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bueno shortens to buen when it is placed before a masculine singular noun like trabajo.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, praising a person's 'good job' too emphatically can be seen as an invitation for the 'evil eye' or bad luck, leading some to add a protective phrase afterward.
- The word trabajo shares an ancient connection with the concept of 'three-fold' or 'triple' through its Proto-Indo-European roots, suggesting a deep historical link to the number three.
- In a professional setting, saying buen trabajo to a superior can sometimes sound condescending, as the phrase is more naturally used by a boss to a subordinate.
Examples in context
- Hizo un buen trabajo.She did a good job.This sentence shows how to use buen trabajo to describe a completed task.Tatoeba #1651084 by Shishir, translation #1651044 by Spamster
- ¡Buen trabajo a todos!Good job, everyone!This sentence demonstrates how to use buen trabajo to address a group.Tatoeba #9411235 by ignacio, translation #9411222 by DJ_Saidez
- Tienes un buen trabajo.You have a good job.This sentence shows a different usage where the phrase refers to a person's employment.Tatoeba #4604142 by saverius, translation #3439666 by CK
- ¡Buen trabajo en la presentación, Juan!Good job on the presentation, Juan!
- Tu informe estuvo excelente. ¡Buen trabajo!Your report was excellent. Good job!
- ¡Excelente trabajo en el proyecto, María! Has hecho un gran trabajo.Excellent job on the project, Maria! You have done a great job.
- Los resultados de tu investigación son impresionantes. ¡Excelente trabajo!The results of your research are impressive. Excellent job!
- Felicidades por el ascenso. Has hecho un trabajo excelente.Congratulations on the promotion. You've done an excellent job.
- Muy bien hecho en la planificación del evento, Antonio. Todo salió a la perfección.Very well done on the event planning, Antonio. Everything turned out perfectly.
- Has trabajado arduamente en este proyecto. Muy bien hecho, Emily.You've worked hard on this project. Very well done, Emily.
- ¡Buen trabajo en el juego de ayer, chicos! Jugasteis muy bien.Good job in yesterday's game, guys! You played very well.
- ¡Bien hecho, Jorge! Aprobaste tu examen de matemáticas.Well done, Jorge! You passed your math exam.
- Estupendo trabajo en el proyecto de ciencias, chicos. Han hecho un trabajo genial.Great job on the science project, guys. You've done an awesome job.
- ¡Bien hecho, tío!Well done, dude!
- ¡Buen laburo!Good job
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena is praising Daniel for completing a difficult task at the office.
- ElenaDaniel, hiciste un buen trabajo hoy.Daniel, you did a good job today.
- DanielMuchas gracias, Elena.Thank you very much, Elena.
- ElenaMe alegra mucho ver tu progreso.I am very happy to see your progress.
- DanielSignifica mucho para mí.It means a lot to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good job” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, trabajo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
