Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| semoga beruntung | |
| semangat | /səˈmaŋat/ (Standard Indonesian) |
Indonesian speakers use different terms depending on whether they are wishing someone fortune or providing encouragement. semoga beruntung is a literal wish for good fortune. In contrast, semangat is a much more common way to say "good luck" when providing encouragement, much like saying "Go for it!" or "You can do it!" to someone facing a challenge like a sports match or an exam.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase semoga beruntung literally means "may [you] be lucky", where semoga means "may" or "hopefully" and beruntung means "to be lucky".
Which one should you use?
semoga beruntung is used for situations involving chance or luck. semangat is used for situations involving effort and perseverance, acting as a way to tell someone to "keep going" or "cheer up".
Did you know?
- The word semangat originally referred to the 'soul' or 'life force' of a living being or even a rice plant.
- The word untung (the root of 'lucky') is also used in business contexts to refer to 'profit', linking the idea of luck closely to material gain.
- Using semoga beruntung for a person's hard-earned success might sound strange, as it implies their success depends entirely on blind chance.
Examples in context
- Semoga beruntung!Good luck.This sentence shows how to use semoga beruntung to wish someone good luck.Tatoeba #4450050 by Bilmanda, translation #239431 by sacredceltic
- Semoga beruntung dalam ujian besok.Good luck on your exam tomorrow.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Adi is encouraging Putri before her job interview.
- AdiSemoga beruntung untuk wawancara kerja kamu, Putri.Good luck with your job interview, Putri.
- PutriTerima kasih banyak, Adi.Thank you very much, Adi.
- AdiKamu pasti bisa melakukannya!You can definitely do it!
- PutriAku akan berusaha sebaik mungkin.I will try my best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations and entries semangat, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beruntung, semangat, semoga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
