weiter so
/ˈvaɪ̯tɐ zoː/
The German phrase for "keep up the good work" is weiter so.
weiter so is a very common, concise way to provide encouragement. It is often used as a standalone exclamation in both casual and professional settings to tell someone to continue doing something well.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While weiter so can be used on its own in various settings, you can expand it into a full sentence depending on the level of formality. Use the formal imperative Machen Sie weiter so when addressing someone with professional distance. Use the informal imperative Mach weiter so when addressing a friend or a peer.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvaɪ̯tɐ zoː/
Did you know?
- If someone is doing something wrong or annoying, a speaker might say weiter so with a sarcastic tone to mean 'keep it up and see what happens'.
- The word weiter shares a common ancestor with the English word 'way', as both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'to go'.
- Unlike the English 'keep up the good work', which requires an adjective like 'good', the German weiter so is grammatically complete without any adjectives.
Examples in context
- Das machst du ganz toll. Weiter so!You're doing great, keep up the good work.This sentence shows how to use weiter so to praise someone's great work.Tatoeba #13015189 by Waldelfe, translation #11698876 by Amastan
- Mache weiter so.Keep up the good work.This sentence provides a simple way to say 'keep up the good work' using weiter so.Tatoeba #1657713 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1553417 by CK
- Bleib dran, Max! Deine Fortschritte sind bemerkenswert und inspirieren uns alle.Keep it up, Max! Your progress is remarkable and inspires us all.
- Deine Ergebnisse sind super, weiter so!Your results are super, keep up the good work!
Example conversation
A manager is praising an employee in the office.
- JulianDu hast das Projekt sehr gut geleitet.You managed the project very well.
- LauraVielen Dank für das Kompliment.Thank you very much for the compliment.
- JulianEcht, mach weiter so!Really, keep up the good work!
- LauraDas werde ich machen.I will do that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry weiter so, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries so, weiter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
