すべてがうまくいきますように
subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni
The English phrase "I wish you all the best" is expressed in Japanese as すべてがうまくいきますように (subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni).
This phrase is used to express hope for someone's future success and happiness.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "may everything go well".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
すべてがうまくいきますように is a polite form suitable for written messages, cards or formal spoken well-wishes. If you need more specific formal expressions, you can use ご多幸をお祈りいたします to pray for someone's great happiness, ご健勝をお祈りいたします to pray for their good health or ご成功をお祈りいたします to pray for their success. In these formal versions, adding をお祈りいたします at the end of an expression emphasizes that you are praying or wishing for their well-being.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending ように is a grammatical structure used to express a prayer, a wish or a hope for a certain outcome.
How do you pronounce it?
subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni
Did you know?
- The word うまくいきます comes from うまくい which means 'tasty'. In this context, it has evolved from 'tasting good' to mean that a situation is 'satisfying' or 'going smoothly'.
- The grammar structure ように is the same one used when writing wishes on 'tanzaku' strips of paper hung from bamboo trees during the Tanabata star festival.
- Using お祈りいたします literally means 'I will pray', but it is used as a standard social formula even by people who are not religious.
Examples in context
- 山田さん、ご多幸をお祈りいたします。Yamada-san, I pray for your great happiness.
- 新しい仕事がうまくいきますように。I hope your new job goes well.
- 試験が順調に進みますように。I hope your exams go smoothly.
- 新しい仕事、すべてがうまくいきますように。Atarashii shigoto, subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni.I wish you all the best with your new job.
- あなたの留学生活、すべてがうまくいきますように。Anata no ryuugaku seikatsu, subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni.I wish you all the best with your life studying abroad.
- 試験の結果、すべてがうまくいきますように。Shiken no kekka, subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni.I hope everything goes well with your exam results.
Example conversation
A student is moving to a different city for university.
- 蓮 Ren明日から一人暮らしだね。頑張って。Ashita kara hitorigurashi dane. Ganbatte.You start living alone tomorrow. Good luck.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。ちょっと不安だけど、楽しみ！Arigatou. Chotto fuan dakedo, tanoshimi!Thank you. I'm a bit anxious, but excited!
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんの大学生活、すべてがうまくいきますように。Himari-san no daigaku seikatsu, subete ga umaku ikimasu you ni.I wish you all the best with your university life, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮くん、本当にありがとう！Ren-kun, hontou ni arigatou!Ren, thank you so much!
