buon lavoro
/ˈbwɔn laˈvo.ro/word by word
The English phrase "good work" can be translated into Italian as buon lavoro.
buon lavoro is an idiomatic phrase used as a polite parting wish. It is intended to mean "have a good time working" or "have a productive workday."
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective buon is the truncated form of buono used before a masculine noun starting with a consonant.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of buon lavoro is /ˈbwɔn laˈvo.ro/. It consists of 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says buon lavoro to you, a common and polite way to respond is grazie, altrettanto, which means "thanks, likewise".
Did you know?
- The root of lavoro comes from the Latin 'labor', which originally referred to physical hardship or toil rather than a professional career.
- You can say buon lavoro to a stranger you encounter while they are performing a task, such as a street cleaner or a shopkeeper, as a way of acknowledging their effort.
- If you see a colleague struggling with a very difficult task, saying buon lavoro can sometimes be perceived as slightly ironic or sympathetic, like saying 'good luck with that'.
Examples in context
- Fece un buon lavoro.He did good work.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say 'He did good work' using buon lavoro.Tatoeba #8483503 by Guybrush88, translation #8480679 by CH
- Tom fa un buon lavoro.Tom does good work.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say 'Tom does good work' using buon lavoro.Tatoeba #2964267 by Guybrush88, translation #1094572 by CK
- Penso di fare un buon lavoro.I think I do good work.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say 'I think I do good work' using buon lavoro.Tatoeba #6727075 by Guybrush88, translation #5850816 by CK
- Hai fatto un ottimo lavoro con la decorazione!You did an excellent job with the decoration!
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco is leaving the office while Martina stays to finish a project.
- FrancescoIo vado a casa, a domani!I'm going home, see you tomorrow!
- MartinaA domani, Francesco!See you tomorrow, Francesco!
- FrancescoBuon lavoro, Martina!Good luck with your work, Martina!
- MartinaGrazie mille!Thanks a lot!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (buon, lavoro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buon lavoro, lavoro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
