buen trabajo
/bwen tɾabaxo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "good job" is translated into Spanish as buen trabajo.
buen trabajo is used to praise for a good job or efforts. However, note that it can also literally mean a good occupation or employment.
Meaning: a phrase used to praise for a good job or efforts (intj)
Which one should you use?
While buen trabajo can be used to praise someone's effort, it can also literally mean 'a good job' in the sense of a good occupation or employment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase ¡Muy bien! is commonly used to express good job in both formal and informal settings. In Latin America, you might hear ¡Bien hecho! to mean good job or ¡Excelente! to mean good job.
Did you know?
- The word trabajo originates from the Latin word 'tripalium', which was actually a three-staked instrument used for punishment.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, praise like ¡Muy bien! is often accompanied by a thumbs-up gesture, but in some older traditions in parts of South America, this gesture was once considered offensive.
- Spanish has a distinct way of praising 'good job' by using the diminutive buen trabajito to describe a small, neat, or carefully detailed task.
Examples in context
- Hizo un buen trabajo.She did a good job.This sentence uses buen trabajo to show someone completed a job well.Tatoeba #1651084 by Shishir, translation #1651044 by Spamster
- ¡Buen trabajo a todos!Good job, everyone!This sentence uses buen trabajo as a praise for a group.Tatoeba #9411235 by ignacio, translation #9411222 by DJ_Saidez
- Tienes un buen trabajo.You have a good job.This sentence uses buen trabajo to refer to an occupation.Tatoeba #4604142 by saverius, translation #3439666 by CK
- Juan, quiero felicitarte por tu excelente trabajo en el proyecto. Has hecho un buen trabajo y estoy muy satisfecho con los resultados.Juan, I want to congratulate you on your excellent work on the project. You have done a good job, and I am very pleased with the results.
- ¡Buen trabajo en el partido de fútbol! Marcaste el gol decisivo y ayudaste al equipo a ganar.Good job in the soccer game! You scored the decisive goal and helped the team win.
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In an office after a successful project completion.
- LucíaDaniel, hiciste un buen trabajo con este proyecto.Daniel, you did a good job with this project.
- DanielGracias, Lucía, me esforcé mucho.Thanks, Lucía, I worked very hard.
- LucíaSe nota que fue un buen trabajo.It shows that it was a good job.
- 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.
