What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from hiciste (you did), un (a), gran (great) and trabajo (work/job).
Which one should you use?
While hiciste un gran trabajo emphasizes greatness or scale, the variation hiciste un buen trabajo is a more standard way to say "you did a good job".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations include ¡Te rifaste! in Mexico (meaning "You rocked it!") and ¡Groso! in Argentina (meaning "Great job!"). In Spain, you can say ¡Lo bordaste! to mean "You nailed it!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form hiciste un gran trabajo uses the informal tú conjugation of the verb hacer. To address a person formally, use hizo un gran trabajo to match the usted pronoun. If you are addressing a group of people, use hicieron un gran trabajo.
How do you pronounce it?
/iθiste un ɡɾan tɾabaxo/
Did you know?
- While 'great job' uses 'great', the word trabajo is historically linked to the concept of 'tripaliāre', which relates to the idea of 'threefold' or 'triple' labor in ancient Latin roots.
- A person in Spain might praise your performance by saying ¡Lo bordaste!, which literally means 'You embroidered it'. It implies that you executed a task with such precision that it looks like fine needlework.
- In Mexico, the slang ¡Te rifaste! used to praise a job well done comes from the word rifa, meaning 'raffle'. It implies that the person took a risk or 'bet' on themselves and won.
Examples in context
- Quiero que sepas que hiciste un gran trabajo.I want you to know you did a great job.This sentence is useful for expressing that you want the listener to know they performed well using the form hiciste un gran trabajo.Tatoeba #2167607 by hayastan, translation #2026420 by CK
- ¡Has hecho un excelente trabajo! Me impresionó cómo manejaste el proyecto con tanta eficiencia. ¡Estoy muy orgulloso de ti!You did a great job! I was impressed by how efficiently you handled the project. I'm very proud of you!
- ¡Lo hiciste genial! Tu dedicación y esfuerzo se notan en cada detalle. ¡Estás destinado/a a lograr grandes cosas!You did a great job! Your dedication and effort are evident in every detail. You're destined for greatness!
- ¡Buen trabajo, campeón/campeona! No me cabe duda de que llegarás lejos con tu talento y persistencia. ¡Sigue así!Good job, champ! I have no doubt that you'll go far with your talent and persistence. Keep it up!
- Hiciste un gran trabajo con la presentación.You did a great job with the presentation.
- Sé que hiciste un gran trabajo hoy.I know you did a great job today.
Example conversation
A coworker praises another after a successful project meeting.
- DanielSofía, hiciste un gran trabajo en la reunión.Sofía, you did a great job in the meeting.
- SofíaMuchas gracias, Daniel. Me esforcé mucho.Thank you very much, Daniel. I worked very hard.
- DanielSe notó mucho tu preparación.Your preparation was very noticeable.
- SofíaQué amable eres, gracias por el cumplido.How kind of you, thanks for the compliment.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gran, trabajo, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
