Say Good Luck in Spanish 35+ Ways (2023)

Do you want to learn how to say good luck in Spanish in under 10 minutes?

If you’ve been reading through our other language learning articles, whether they be French or Spanish, then there’s a good chance that you’re ready for an upgrade in content.

You’ve tackled how to greet people, count, tell time, and even wish someone a joyful holiday! Now, it’s time to learn how to wish someone the best of luck for an upcoming event, school test, and everything in between.

✔️ Pro Tip: Be sure to make note of the different times of when it is appropriate to use different versions of the phrase “good luck.”

Whether you know the person well or not, whether you are related, and whether you want to use slang versus grammatically correct Spanish all play a part in the phrase you should use.

I’ve also provided you with numerous audio pronunciations, so give them a listen and do your best to practice your pronunciation of each of the provided phrases.

Buena Suerte!

How to Say “Good Luck” in Spanish

The standard way of wishing someone “good luck” in Spanish is to simply say:

🔊 1. Buena Suerte

Literally translated, the term buena means “good” and suerte means “luck”. This is why you’ll often hear native Spanish speakers just say suerte to wish someone good luck.

It’s more of a slang phrase for young adults, which you’ll learn more about in that section.

Unlike certain vocabulary which uses bueno to discuss a masculine topic or item, the word “good” is feminine when discussing luck in Spanish.

You may tell someone to have a good day by saying “Buenos días!” but you’ll never hear someone say “Buenas días.”

Bueno and buena will change depending on what they are describing. In this instance, luck is feminine so we use the form buena to describe it.

How to Pronounce Buena Suerte

Learning to pronounce “buena suerte” is very easy, but it does take some practice. In the video below, you’ll listen to several native Spanish speakers say the phrase.

Of course, there are other videos that will have an Alexa-type app pronounce it for you, but it’s better to hear it from real people.

When you’re traveling, you won’t be talking to a robot, so get used to speaking back and forth with real people now! I recommend repeating the phrase after each of the people in the video to help your pronunciation.

Buena Suerte!

Good Luck in Spanish to a Girl

While you can technically just say buena suerte to both girls and guys, it’s sometimes better to use a few of these other phrases for girls.

🔊 2. May the stars be in your favor – ¡Que los astros te sean propicios!

🔊 3. I hope everything goes well – Espero que todo salga bien

🔊 4. All the best for you – Toda la mejor para ti (notice the toda for feminine)

🔊 5. I wish you all the luck in the world – Te deseo toda la suerte del mundo

🔊 6. May you have all the luck you need – Que tengas toda la suerte que necesitas

If you want to wish a woman luck, there are different ways of doing it, particularly depending on the context in which you know her.

For example, if you want to wish your coworker the best of luck in her new job interview, then “espero que todo salga bien” (I hope everything goes well) will do the trick.

But, if you want to wish your wife luck in her upcoming qualifying marathon, then “te deseo toda la suerte del mundo” (I wish you all the luck in the world) is better suited for the occasion.

Likewise goes for your mother, a grandmother, or a woman you know well. If you don’t know the woman well enough to be considered friends or close coworkers, then stick to the basics and don’t sway very far.

Otherwise, you may end up with some awkward looks…

Good Luck in Spanish to a Guy

Likewise for guys, buena suerte would work just fine… especially if you don’t know the person all that well.

But, if you want to mix it up a little for a guy that you know, try out some of these suggestions!

🔊 7. You got this! – Tu tienes esto!

🔊 8. The best of luck to you – La mejor de las suertes para ti

🔊 9. Break a leg! – ¡Rómpete una pierna!

🔊 10. All the best for you – Todo la mejor para ti (notice the todo for masculine)

🔊 11. Good luck with it all – Buena suerte con todo

We all know guys, for the most part, want to be spoken to in a more “manly” way, so to speak. So, if you say something like “¡que los astros te sean propicios!” (may the stars be in your favor), there’s a good chance they’re going to awkwardly purse their lips and walk away.

Why? Because wishing them the luck of the stars is far too “little kid-like”. Now, is this true for all guys? Absolutely not.

If you know the person well and know that they would be grateful to receive such a compliment, by all means say it!

But, if you don’t know the guy well (perhaps it’s a coworker or friend of a friend), stick to the basics.

¡Rómpete una pierna! (break a leg!) is a good one to use between friends and coworkers, whereas buena suerte con todo (best of luck with it all) is often used between siblings, family members, and even complete strangers on the rarer occasion.

What Brings Good Luck in Spanish Culture?

Every culture has its own beliefs and superstitions that may bring about good fortune or good luck to its people.

Whether it’s practicing a religion, following a recipe passed down from your ancestors, or carrying an item with you on the day to day, every culture has something to believe in.

So, what brings good luck to Spanish culture?

Well, believe it or not, some say:

✔️ wearing red underwear is lucky when it comes to finding a partner

You’ll notice many lingerie shops try to work this belief, especially around the holidays and New Years’ Eve, when tourists from around the world are seeking that special kiss at midnight!

✔️ Eating 12 green grapes as the clock strikes 12:00AM on New Years’ Eve

According to legend, this will bring you a full year of good luck and prosperity since each grape represents an entire month of fortune.

✔️ Eating family meals together and following ancestral recipes

In many Latin American countries, it is good luck to pass down family recipes from generation to generation and to share them with new friends.

Eating family meals together is a sign of good fortune and helps to clear the “bad vibes” in the family home.

✔️ Being gifted an Indalo Man

Don’t know what an Indalo Man is? Check out the photo to the right!

This person-like structure was originally discovered all the way back in 2500 BC in the Almeria region of Spain. The man is shown to be holding a rainbow in his hands, a sign of good luck.

However, some people say that the Indalo Man will only bring good luck if it is gifted to you. Now, we can’t say for sure, but if you are looking to wish the best of luck to a friend or family member, this is the traditional way to do it.

Spanish Expressions for Good Luck

If you want to use one of the more culturally known expressions for wishing someone good luck, check out the phrases below!

✔️ 12. A Lot of Luck – ¡Mucha Suerte

✔️ 13. Good Luck with That – Buena Suerte con Eso

✔️ 14. My Very Best Wishes – ¡Mis Mejores Deseos!

✔️ 15. Success to You (I Wish You Success) – ¡Éxito!

✔️ 16. I Wish You Luck – ¡Te Deseo Suerte

✔️ 17. I Wish You the Best of Luck – Le Deseo Muchísima Suerte

✔️ 18. Have a Lot of Luck – Que Tengas Mucha Suerta

✔️ 19. May the Stars Align for You – ¡Que los Astros se Alineen!

✔️ 20. Everything Will be Great – Todo Será Genial

✔️ 21. Blessing onto You – Bendiciones

✔️ 22. I Wish You Good Fortune (Good Luck) – Buena Fortuna

✔️ 23. I Hope it Goes Well for You – Que te Vaya Bien

✔️ 24. I Hope Everything Works Out for You – Espero Que Todo Salga Bien Para Ti

✔️ 25. God Bless You – Que Dios te Bendiga

✔️ 26. May God Send You Luck – Que Dios te Mande Suerte

✔️ 27. I Will Cross My Fingers – Voy a Cruzar Mis Dedos

✔️ 28. Fingers Crossed – ¡Dedos cruzados

While Spanish and English are two of the most commonly spoken languages in the world and are similar in many ways, they do have their differences.

In English, we like to say things like “I am so lucky that I passed my exam without studying”. We describe ourselves as what is “lucky.” Whereas, in Spanish, we like to say things like:

Tengo tanta suerte de haber aprobado mi examen sin estudiar.

This translates to “I have luck that I passed my exam without studying.”

See the difference? In Spanish, we treat “luck” as an item that can be gained in certain circumstances or events. If you won big at the casino, you had luck… you were NOT lucky.

Slang Ways to Say Good Luck in Spanish

When traveling to a new country, it’s important to be polite and attempt to learn at least some of the local language. But, it’s also important to fit in with the crowd.

If you’re always speaking in perfect terms, it’s going to seem like you’re ready their language directly from a guidebook (which you probably will be).

So, if you want to impress the locals with your vast understanding of their culture, learn some slang! It’s one of the best ways to fit in with the local population, just be sure to understand the context of the conversation before you use it.

It’s better to sound like you’re speaking perfectly than to come off as rude, impolite, or unknowledgeable of their customs.

Here are a few more ways of saying good luck in Spanish, without sounding like you’re a language teacher:

✔️ 29. Suerte – Good Luck

✔️ 30. Éxito – Best of Luck

✔️ 31. La Mejor de las Suertes – Best of Luck

✔️ 32. Hacer Changuitos – literally translated – “to make little monkeys”; socially translated – “to cross one’s fingers”

✔️ 33. ¡Tú Puedes! – You Can Do It

✔️ 34. ¡Mucha Mierda! – Break a Leg

✔️ 35. ¡Lo Harás Genial! – You’ll Do Great!

Other Popular Spanish Language Articles

If you have yet to read our other Spanish articles, check them out below!

✔️ Learn Numbers 1-100 in Spanish (with PDF Guide)
✔️ How to Say Goodnight in Spanish 33+ Ways
✔️ Congratulations in Spanish 38+ Ways for Every Occasion
✔️ Happy Birthday in Spanish 13 Different Ways
✔️ 35 Helpful Greetings in Spanish – Formal and Informal

🌎 Pssst… if you are learning a new language for a future trip and you enjoy my itineraries, you can now have me design a custom itinerary just for you! Simply fill out the contact form below, and we’ll get started right away on a unique vacation that caters to your personal travel style and preferences!

If you’re interested in learning Spanish and French, check out some of our French language learning articles too!

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Whether you want to wish someone well before a big exam or you want to wish your best friend a great time on their family vacation with their new in-laws, it’s important to recognize social cues and understand grammar.

Pay attention to who you’re talking to… whether it’s a family member, friend, coworker, or complete stranger, the phrase you ultimately use to wish someone good luck may change drastically!

I hope this article taught you everything you need to know about saying good luck in Spanish and you get to practice speaking like a local on your next trip to one of the many Spanish-speaking countries around the world!

Cheers!
Emily