Spanish · Greetings & Essentials

"Good luck!" in Spanish: ¡buena suerte!

¡buena suerte!

Say it: BWEH-nah SWEHR-tehphrase/ˈbwe.na ˈsweɾ.te/

Good luck in Spanish is ¡buena suerte! Buena suerte fits exams, interviews, and trips. ¡Éxito! is a short pep alternative.

Before an exam

¡Buena suerte en el examen!
Good luck on the exam!
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How to pronounce ¡buena suerte!

Say it

BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh

/ˈbwe.na ˈsweɾ.te/

BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh. Soft ue sounds like weh. Tap the r in suerte lightly.

"Good luck!" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
¡buena suerte!good luck!

Default cheer.

mucha suertelots of luck

Extra warmth.

¡éxito!success! / go crush it

Short pep talk before a big moment.

suerte con…luck with…

Suerte con el examen names the challenge.

How to use ¡buena suerte! in real life

  1. 1Before an exam

    ¡Buena suerte en el examen!

    Good luck on the exam!

    Buena suerte en points to the event.

  2. 2Job interview day

    Buena suerte. Habla despacio.

    Good luck. Speak slowly.

    Calm buena suerte plus a tip.

  3. 3Friend traveling

    Buena suerte en el viaje.

    Good luck on the trip.

    Buena suerte en el viaje wishes safe success.

Mistakes English speakers make with ¡buena suerte!

Incorrect: ¡Bueno suerte!

Correct: ¡Buena suerte!

Suerte is feminine. Use buena, not bueno.

Incorrect: ¡Buenas suertes!

Correct: ¡Buena suerte!

Keep the set phrase buena suerte singular.

Good to know

Buena suerte is everyday and sincere. Crossing fingers appears in some places. Buena suerte itself does the verbal work. Éxito cheers results more than luck.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Before a friend's driving test

  1. ChatPal

    Hoy presento el examen de manejo.

    I take the driving test today.

  2. You

    ¡Buena suerte! Respira antes de arrancar.

    Good luck! Breathe before you start.

  3. ChatPal

    Gracias. Estoy nervioso.

    Thanks. I'm nervous.

  4. You

    Buena suerte otra vez. Me cuentas luego.

    Good luck again. Tell me later.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Good luck!" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Good luck!" in Spanish

Why buena not bueno?

Suerte is feminine, so the adjective is buena. Buena suerte is the pair.

Buena suerte or éxito?

Buena suerte wishes luck. Éxito cheers for success.

Can I add a reason?

Yes: Buena suerte en la entrevista.

Is it formal?

Neutral. Buena suerte works with friends and colleagues.

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