buen trabajo
/bwen tɾabaxo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "great job" is translated into Spanish as buen trabajo.
buen trabajo is often used as a noun phrase in a sentence.
Meaning: well done, congrats! (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buen (good) and trabajo (work).
Which one should you use?
While buen trabajo is a literal translation of 'great job', it is often used as a noun phrase in a sentence, whereas ¡Buen trabajo! is the common exclamation used to praise someone's performance. A more common way to say 'well done' or 'great job' as an exclamation is ¡Bien hecho!
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase buen trabajo, the adjective bueno is shortened to buen because it precedes a masculine singular noun.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American regions, people use the word chamba as a slang term for trabajo, meaning you might hear buena chamba instead of buen trabajo in informal settings.
- Depending on the country, a person might respond to ¡Buen trabajo! with No fue nada, which literally means 'it was nothing', reflecting a cultural preference for humility over accepting praise.
- If you want to say 'great job' in a way that sounds more enthusiastic in some Spanish-speaking countries, you might use ¡Buenísimo! Adding the suffix '-ísimo' turns the simple 'good' into an intense 'extremely good'.
Examples in context
- Creo que estás haciendo un buen trabajo.I think you're doing a great job.This sentence uses buen trabajo to express the idea of doing a great job.Tatoeba #4384051 by saverius, translation #2458573 by CK
- ¡Buen trabajo en el informe, Ricardo! Me impresionó tu atención al detalle y la claridad de tus ideas. Seguramente tendrás mucho éxito en tu carrera.Great job on the report, Ricardo! I was impressed by your attention to detail and the clarity of your ideas. You'll surely have great success in your career.
- ¡Muy bien hecho, María! Tu presentación fue clara y persuasiva. Me dejaste sin palabras con tu habilidad para transmitir tus ideas.Very well done, María! Your presentation was clear and persuasive. You left me speechless with your ability to convey your ideas.
- Buen trabajo con el reporte.Great job with the report.
- Has hecho un buen trabajo hoy.You have done a great job today.
Example conversation
Alejandro is praising María for her presentation at the office.
- AlejandroMaría, hiciste una presentación excelente.María, you gave an excellent presentation.
- MaríaMuchas gracias, Alejandro.Thank you very much, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¡Buen trabajo!Great job!
- MaríaMe alegra mucho escuchar eso.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
