buena suerte y mejores deseos
/bwena sweɾte i mexoɾes deseos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "good luck and best wishes" is expressed in Spanish as buena suerte y mejores deseos.
This phrase is used to express hope for someone's future success and happiness. In casual conversation, Spanish speakers often shorten this sentiment to just ¡Mucha suerte! or ¡Que te vaya bien! rather than using the full phrase buena suerte y mejores deseos.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, as theater slang, you can say ¡Mucha mierda! to mean "Break a leg!" In Mexico, the phrase ¡Que te vaya chido! is used to mean "I hope everything goes great for you!"
How does it change in a sentence?
While buena suerte is a direct translation of "good luck", native speakers frequently use mucha suerte (much luck) to express the same sentiment of wishing someone great success.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, wishing someone buena suerte before a performance is avoided in favor of ¡Mucha mierda!, as wishing actual 'good luck' is thought to invite bad luck.
- The word suerte is not just about luck, but also refers to a 'fate' or 'destiny' that is bound to a person. This connection stems from the ancient root meaning 'to bind'.
Examples in context
- ¡Buena suerte en tu nuevo trabajo, Juan!Good luck in your new job, Juan!
- Te deseo lo mejor en tu nuevo emprendimiento, CarlosI wish you the best in your new venture, Carlos
- ¡Que te vaya bien en tu viaje, Andrea! Disfruta y cuídateI hope everything goes well on your trip, Andrea! Enjoy yourself and take care
Example conversation
Daniel is saying goodbye to Lucía before she moves to another city.
- DanielYa es hora de partir, Lucía.It is time to leave, Lucía.
- LucíaSí, estoy muy emocionada por empezar.Yes, I am very excited to start.
- DanielBueno, ¡buena suerte y mejores deseos en tu nueva vida!Well, good luck and best wishes in your new life!
- LucíaMuchas gracias, Daniel. Te extrañaré.Thank you very much, Daniel. I will miss you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries suerte, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
