buen trabajo
/bwen tɾabaxo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "good job" is translated into Spanish as buen trabajo.
buen trabajo is used to praise someone for the quality of their efforts or a specific task they have performed. You can use it as an exclamation to show enthusiasm by adding exclamation marks, as in ¡Buen trabajo! While buen trabajo is a literal translation of "good job", a very common and natural way to say "well done" in Spanish is bien hecho.
Meaning: a phrase used to praise for a good job or efforts (intj)
Which one should you use?
The phrase buen trabajo refers specifically to the quality of an action or effort. Do not confuse this with the concept of having a good occupation or position, which is expressed using buen empleo or buen trabajo in a different context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bueno shortens to buen when it is placed immediately before a masculine singular noun, such as trabajo.
Did you know?
- Depending on the country, the word trabajo can be replaced by chamba in informal settings, such as in Mexico or Peru. In these places, praising a 'good job' might sound more local as buena chamba.
- In some contexts, saying buen trabajo to a subordinate in a very formal Spanish workplace can be seen as overly paternalistic. High-level managers might instead use a more formal acknowledgement of a goal being reached.
- The word trabajo shares an evolutionary lineage with words related to struggle or labor, stemming from historical roots that imply exertion.
Examples in context
- Hizo un buen trabajo.She did a good job.This sentence shows how to describe someone who performed a good job using buen trabajo.Tatoeba #1651084 by Shishir, translation #1651044 by Spamster
- ¡Buen trabajo a todos!Good job, everyone!This sentence shows how to use buen trabajo as an enthusiastic exclamation for a group.Tatoeba #9411235 by ignacio, translation #9411222 by DJ_Saidez
- Tienes un buen trabajo.You have a good job.This sentence demonstrates a context where buen trabajo refers to a person's occupation.Tatoeba #4604142 by saverius, translation #3439666 by CK
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a project at the office.
- Elena¡Buen trabajo con el informe, Javier!Good job with the report, Javier!
- JavierGracias, Elena. Me esforcé mucho.Thanks, Elena. I worked very hard.
- ElenaSe nota que hiciste un buen trabajo.It shows that you did a good job.
- JavierEres muy amable, gracias.You are very kind, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good job” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, trabajo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
