Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| buena suerte | /ˌbwena ˈsweɾte/ |
| suerte | /ˈsweɾte/ |
| mucha suerte | /mut͡ʃa sweɾte/ (from spelling rules) |
Spanish speakers use these expressions to wish fortune upon someone or to provide encouragement. You can use the full phrase buena suerte, the intensified version mucha suerte (meaning 'lots of luck') or the shortened version suerte.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase buena suerte is composed of the adjective buena (good) and the noun suerte (luck).
Which one should you use?
While buena suerte is the complete phrase for 'good luck', it is very common in Spanish to drop the adjective and simply say suerte to mean the same thing. Use mucha suerte when you want to intensify the wish to mean 'lots of luck' or 'best of luck'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase ¡Échale ganas! is used to wish someone luck by encouraging them to put in their best effort. In Argentina, the imported French expression ¡Merde! is commonly heard in theater circles to mean 'Good luck!'
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun suerte is feminine, which is why the adjective used with it must be the feminine form buena rather than the masculine bueno.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbwena ˈsweɾte/
When do people say it?
In Spain and parts of Latin America, the expression ¡Mucha mierda! is used to wish someone luck, particularly within theatrical communities.
Did you know?
- The expression ¡Mucha mierda! refers to the historical era of horse-drawn carriages, where more manure outside a theater meant more wealthy patrons had arrived.
- The word suerte is a distant relative of the English word 'series', as both trace back to a root meaning 'to bind' or 'to join together'.
- While buena suerte is standard, Argentinian theater performers often use the French word merde to avoid the superstition that wishing for 'good luck' actually brings bad luck.
Examples in context
- Suerte con eso, Tom.Good luck with that, Tom.This sentence shows how to use suerte to wish luck with a specific task.Tatoeba #5718657 by arh, translation #5716762 by CK
- ¡Suerte en el examen!Good luck on the exam!This sentence shows how to use suerte to wish luck for an exam.Tatoeba #590640 by Leono, translation #409429 by FeuDRenais
- Te deseo buena suerte.I wish you good luck.This sentence shows how to use buena suerte to express a wish for someone.Tatoeba #972469 by Shishir, translation #54468 by CK
- ¡Buena suerte en tu examen!Good luck on your exam!
- ¡Buena suerte en tu nuevo proyecto! Sé que lo lograrás.Good luck on your new project! I know you will succeed.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena is about to start a new job.
- Alejandro¡Buena suerte en tu primer día!Good luck on your first day!
- ElenaGracias, Alejandro, estoy muy nerviosa.Thanks, Alejandro, I am very nervous.
- AlejandroSeguro que lo harás muy bien.I am sure you will do very well.
- ElenaEres muy amable, gracias de nuevo.You are very kind, thanks again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations and entries buena suerte, suerte, 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 buena suerte, suerte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
