buon appetito
/ˈbwɔn ap.peˈti.to/
The Italian phrase for "happy eating" is buon appetito.
The expression buon appetito! is the most common way to wish someone a good meal. Other ways to express similar sentiments include Goditi il pasto! (Enjoy your meal!) and Mangia bene! (Eat well!).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase buon appetito literally translates to "good appetite".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbwɔn ap.peˈti.to/. The word has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says buon appetito, you can respond with grazie (thanks) if you are the only person being wished a good meal. If the other person is also eating, a common response is grazie, altrettanto (thanks, likewise).
Did you know?
- In some very traditional or aristocratic Italian circles, it is actually considered impolite to say buon appetito before a meal. This is because the phrase implies that the person's appetite is a physical need to be satisfied, rather than a social enjoyment of the food.
- The word appetito comes from the Latin word appetītus, which means 'desire' or 'longing'.
- The phrase buon appetito can be used ironically in Italian literature or cinema to describe a person who is 'devouring' something else, such as power or wealth, rather than actual food.
Examples in context
- Buon appetito a tutti!Enjoy your meal, everyone!
- Grazie, buon appetito anche a te.Thank you, enjoy your meal too.
- Il pranzo è pronto, buon appetito!Lunch is ready, enjoy your meal!
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are sitting down at a restaurant.
- ChiaraIl cibo sembra delizioso, buon appetito, Matteo.The food looks delicious, enjoy your meal, Matteo.
- MatteoGrazie, Chiara, anche a te.Thank you, Chiara, to you too.
- ChiaraMangiamo!Let's eat!
- MatteoSì, ho molta fame.Yes, I am very hungry.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buon appetito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries appetito, buon appetito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
