60+ Ways to Say Good Luck in Spanish (Plus Idioms and Superstitions from the Spanish-speaking World)
All languages and cultures have their own expressions, beliefs, rituals and charms to attract luck.
Spanish-speaking cultures are no different! Wishing someone luck is a gesture of support that is often expressed wholeheartedly.
That said, there is more than one way to say “good luck” in Spanish.
So, let’s check out some luck-worthy situations and learn their appropriate luck wishing expressions!
Contents
- 60+ Ways to Say “Good Luck” in Spanish
- Spanish Idioms Related to Good Luck
- How to Say Good Luck for Specific Occasions in Spanish
- Spanish Superstitions and Beliefs About Luck
- And One More Thing…
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
60+ Ways to Say “Good Luck” in Spanish
When you want to wish someone good luck in Spanish, use one of these options!
| Spanish | English Translation | Formality Level | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Que todo salga bien | May everything go well | Neutral | Que todo salga bien en tu viaje. (May everything go well on your trip.) |
| La mejor de las suertes | The best of luck | Neutral | ¡La mejor de las suertes en tu presentación! (The best of luck on your presentation!) |
| Que tengas buena suerte | May you have good luck | Neutral | Que tengas buena suerte en el examen. (May you have good luck on the exam.) |
| Que tengas mucha suerte | May you have lots of luck | Neutral | Que tengas mucha suerte en el proyecto. (May you have lots of luck on the project.) |
| Cruzaré los dedos por ti | I'll cross my fingers for you | Neutral | ¡Cruzaré los dedos por ti en la competencia! (I'll cross my fingers for you in the competition!) |
| Te deseo lo mejor del mundo | I wish you all the best | Neutral | ¡Te deseo lo mejor del mundo en tu nueva etapa! (I wish you all the best in your new chapter!) |
| Buena suerte | Good luck | Neutral | ¡Buena suerte en tu examen! (Good luck on your exam!) |
| Que tengas suerte | May you have luck | Neutral | Que tengas suerte en tu nuevo trabajo. (May you have luck in your new job.) |
| Suerte | Luck | Neutral | ¡Suerte en el partido! (Good luck in the game!) |
| Que te vaya bien | May things go well for you | Neutral | Espero que te vaya bien en la entrevista. (I hope things go well for you in the interview.) |
| Te deseo buena suerte | I wish you good luck | Neutral | Te deseo buena suerte en el viaje. (I wish you good luck on your trip.) |
| Éxito | Success | Neutral | ¡Éxito en tu presentación! (Success on your presentation!) |
| Mucha suerte | Lots of luck | Neutral | ¡Mucha suerte en el proyecto! (Lots of luck on the project!) |
| Que Dios te bendiga | May God bless you | Neutral | Que Dios te bendiga en tu nueva etapa. (May God bless you in your new chapter.) |
| Espero que tengas suerte | I hope you have luck | Neutral | Espero que tengas suerte en el examen. (I hope you have luck on the exam.) |
| Que todo te salga bien | May everything go well for you | Neutral | Que todo te salga bien en la entrevista. (May everything go well for you in the interview.) |
| Que tengas buena fortuna | May you have good fortune | Neutral | Que tengas buena fortuna en el nuevo negocio. (May you have good fortune in your new business.) |
| Que tengas un buen viaje | Have a good trip | Neutral | Que tengas un buen viaje. (Have a good trip.) |
| Que tengas un buen día | Have a good day | Neutral | Que tengas un buen día en el trabajo. (Have a good day at work.) |
| Que tengas un buen fin de semana | Have a good weekend | Neutral | Que tengas un buen fin de semana. (Have a good weekend.) |
| Que te vaya de maravilla | May it go wonderfully | Neutral | Que te vaya de maravilla en el concierto. (May it go wonderfully at the concert.) |
| Buena fortuna | Good fortune | Neutral | ¡Buena fortuna en tu competencia! (Good fortune in your competition!) |
| Que la suerte te acompañe | May luck be with you | Neutral | Que la suerte te acompañe en el desafío. (May luck be with you in the challenge.) |
| Que tengas éxito | May you have success | Neutral | Que tengas éxito en tus metas. (May you have success in your goals.) |
| Te deseo lo mejor | I wish you the best | Neutral | Te deseo lo mejor en tu carrera. (I wish you the best in your career.) |
| Que tengas un día fantástico | Have a fantastic day | Neutral | ¡Que tengas un día fantástico en tu cumpleaños! (Have a fantastic day on your birthday!) |
| Que la suerte esté de tu lado | May luck be on your side | Neutral | Que la suerte esté de tu lado en el torneo. (May luck be on your side in the tournament.) |
| Que Dios te acompañe | May God be with you | Formal | Que Dios te acompañe en tus decisiones. (May God be with you in your decisions.) |
| Que la suerte te sonría | May luck smile upon you | Formal | Que la suerte te sonría en tus proyectos. (May luck smile upon you in your projects.) |
| Que tengas una exitosa carrera | Have a successful career | Formal | Que tengas una exitosa carrera profesional. (Have a successful professional career.) |
| Que tengas un futuro brillante | Have a bright future | Formal | Que tengas un futuro brillante en tus estudios. (Have a bright future in your studies.) |
| Le deseo todo el éxito | I wish you all the success | Formal | ¡Le deseo todo el éxito en su presentación! (I wish you all the success on your presentation!) |
| Que los astros te acompañen | May the stars be with you | Formal | Que los astros te acompañen en tu trayectoria. (May the stars be with you on your journey.) |
| Que la fortuna te sonría | May fortune smile upon you | Formal | Que la fortuna te sonría en tus negocios. (May fortune smile upon you in your businesses.) |
| Que te vaya excepcionalmente bien | May it go exceptionally well | Formal | Que te vaya excepcionalmente bien en la conferencia. (May it go exceptionally well at the conference.) |
| Que tengas un día productivo | Have a productive day | Formal | ¡Que tengas un día productivo en el trabajo! (Have a productive day at work!) |
| Que todos tus sueños se hagan realidad | May all your dreams come true | Formal | Que todos tus sueños se hagan realidad en la vida. (May all your dreams come true in life.) |
| Que tengas un futuro próspero | Have a prosperous future | Formal | Que tengas un futuro próspero en tus proyectos. (Have a prosperous future in your projects.) |
| Que tengas una trayectoria llena de éxitos | May you have a successful journey | Formal | Que tengas una trayectoria llena de éxitos en tu carrera. (May you have a successful journey in your career.) |
| Que siempre te acompañe la buena suerte | May good luck always be with you | Formal | Que siempre te acompañe la buena suerte en tus emprendimientos. (May good luck always be with you in your endeavors.) |
| Que te vaya de maravilla en tus proyectos | May it go wonderfully in your projects | Formal | Que te vaya de maravilla en tus proyectos profesionales. (May it go wonderfully in your professional projects.) |
| Que tengas un día exitoso | Have a successful day | Formal | ¡Que tengas un día exitoso en tus reuniones! (Have a successful day in your meetings!) |
| Que el destino te favorezca | May destiny favor you | Formal | Que el destino te favorezca en tus decisiones. (May destiny favor you in your decisions.) |
| Que te ilumine la buena suerte | May good luck light your way | Formal | ¡Que te ilumine la buena suerte en tus proyectos personales! (May good luck light your way in your personal projects!) |
| Que cada paso te acerque más al éxito | May each step bring you closer to success | Formal | Que cada paso te acerque más al éxito en tu carrera profesional. (May each step bring you closer to success in your professional career.) |
| Que se cumplan tus metas | May your goals be achieved | Formal | Que se cumplan tus metas en el año nuevo. (May your goals be achieved in the new year.) |
| Que tus esfuerzos den frutos | May your efforts bear fruit | Formal | Que tus esfuerzos den frutos en el proyecto. (May your efforts bear fruit in the project.) |
| Que te vaya genial | May it go great for you | Informal | ¡Que te vaya genial en el examen! (May it go great for you on the exam!) |
| Échale ganas | Give it your all | Informal | ¡Échale ganas al proyecto! (Give it your all on the project!) |
| Que tengas un viaje de película | Have a movie-like trip | Informal | Que tengas un viaje de película. (Have a movie-like trip.) |
| Que todo te salga chévere | May everything go great | Informal | ¡Que todo te salga chévere en la fiesta! (May everything go great at the party!) |
| Que la fuerza te acompañe | May the force be with you | Informal | Que la fuerza te acompañe en el juego. (May the force be with you in the game.) |
| Mucha mierda | Break a leg | Informal | ¡Mucha mierda en la función de teatro! (Break a leg in the theater performance!) |
| Que te vaya de perlas | May it go perfectly for you | Informal | Que te vaya de perlas en la competencia. (May it go perfectly for you in the competition.) |
| Suerte y al toro | Good luck and go for it | Informal | ¡Suerte y al toro en el partido! (Good luck and go for it in the game!) |
| Que te salga todo redondo | May everything go smoothly | Informal | ¡Que te salga todo redondo en el proyecto! (May everything go smoothly on the project!) |
| Que tengas un día de pelos | Have an awesome day | Informal | Que tengas un día de pelos en la playa. (Have an awesome day at the beach.) |
| Que te vaya bonito | May it go well for you | Informal | ¡Que te vaya bonito en la entrevista! (May it go well for you in the interview!) |
| Dale duro | Go for it / Give it your all | Informal | ¡Dale duro en el partido! (Go for it in the game!) |
| Adelante | Go ahead | Informal | ¡Adelante con tu plan! (Go ahead with your plan!) |
Spanish Idioms Related to Good Luck
The Spanish language also has plenty of idioms and expressions related to luck. Some of these might sound familiar to English speakers, too!
- Tocar madera (To touch wood) — Say this to avoid tempting fate and prevent bad luck. It’s accompanied by knocking on wood if any is available.
- Cruzar los dedos (To cross your fingers) — This is a gesture of hoping for a positive outcome. You might literally cross your fingers as you say this!
- Echar las cartas (To read the cards) — This one refers to fortune-telling by reading tarot cards.
- Caer de pie (To fall on your feet) — Describes someone who always seems to land on their feet, referring to their ability to handle difficult situations successfully.
- Tener estrella (To have a star) — Use this to refer to someone who’s naturally lucky.
- Tener buen agüero (To have good omens) — Implies you’re hoping for a positive outcome.
- Nacer con estrella (To be born under a lucky star) — Suggests being born destined for success.
- Pisar tierra de suerte (To step on lucky ground) — Symbolizes being in a favorable or fortunate situation.
- Dar en el clavo (To hit the nail on the head) — Use this when someone makes an accurate prediction.
- No hay mal que por bien no venga (Every cloud has a silver lining) — Expresses the idea that something good can come out of a seemingly bad situation.
- Salir a pedir de boca (To go perfectly) — Describes a situation or plan that unfolds exactly as intended.
- Encontrar un trébol de cuatro hojas (To find a four-leaf clover) — Finding a rare four-leaf clover is believed to bring good luck!
- Caer de perlas (To fall perfectly) — Describes something that happens without any issues.
- Nacer con la flor en el trasero (To be born with a flower in one’s rear) — This silly expression refers to someone very fortunate.
- Tener suerte de principiante (To have beginner’s luck) — Refers to the phenomenon of beginners experiencing unexpected success.
- Ser un amuleto (To be a good luck charm) — Describes a person or object believed to bring good luck to those around them.
- Ver la luna llena (To see the full moon) — This is considered a symbol of positive energy and good fortune.
- Estar en racha (To be on a lucky streak) — Describes a period when someone is consistently experiencing good luck or success.
- Tener la mano bendita (To have a blessed hand) — Suggests having natural talent in a specific skill.
- Traer buena ventura (To bring good fortune) — Means to bring luck and positive outcomes.
How to Say Good Luck for Specific Occasions in Spanish
When you want to say good luck to someone for an upcoming event, use these sentence starters, which all mean “good luck on your…”:
- Buena suerte en tu…
- Que tengas suerte en tu…
- Éxito en tu…
- Que te vaya bien en tu…
- Que te vaya genial en tu…
To turn these more formal, just replace te with le and tu with su.
Here are a few examples:
- ¡Buena suerte en tu examen! (Good luck on your exam!)
- ¡Que tengas suerte en tu entrevista de trabajo! (Good luck on your job interview!)
- ¡Éxito en su presentación! (Success in your presentation!)
- ¡Buena suerte en tu partido de fútbol! (Good luck in your soccer game!)
- ¡Que le vaya bien en su viaje! (May your trip go well!)
- ¡Buena suerte en tu primer día de trabajo! (Good luck on your first day of work!)
- ¡Que tenga suerte en su competencia deportiva! (Good luck in your sports competition!)
- ¡Que te vaya genial en tu cita romántica! (May your romantic date go great!)
Spanish Superstitions and Beliefs About Luck
By taking a closer look at some Spanish beliefs about luck—and the charms that assist in bringing on this phenomenon—you will gain a glimpse of some intriguing Spanish customs, which will only connect you deeper to the language and culture.
In Mexico, good luck charms are often called milagros (miracles) and come in the form of small religious charms. The charms, which are often made of metal, can be affixed to a place or just carried or worn by the one who is looking for an upswing in their fate.
They are believed to improve fortune, heal and keep evil at bay. Milagros are not used only in Mexico, however. Some Latin American countries, as well as some places in the United States, adhere to the belief that milagros carry great power.
Wishing someone good luck in Spain can be an interesting exchange. It is not unusual to wish or have someone wish onto you, mucha mierda , which translates to “lots of crap.” This expression is equivalent to the English phrase, “break a leg.”
In Spain, wearing red underwear is thought to bring good luck in finding a mate. Some say it applies only on New Year’s Eve, but others feel it works year-round.
Originating in the Almeria province of Spain, Indalo Man is a figure who represents luck and hope. He was first discovered drawn on a cave wall—a piece of ancient art from thousands of years ago—and today is a widely-recognized lucky symbol!
Here are a few more symbols of good and back luck in different Spanish-speaking countries:
Spain:
- Bad luck: Placing a loaf of bread upside down.
- Good luck: Eating twelve grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve will bring good luck in the upcoming year.
Mexico:
- Good luck: Placing a broom or a mop behind the front door is said to sweep away bad luck.
- Good luck: Hanging a chili pepper or a red ribbon outside the house is thought to protect against the evil eye.
Argentina:
- Bad luck: Leaving your wallet or purse on the floor will lead to financial problems.
- Good luck: Breaking a glass during a wedding reception is good luck for the newlyweds.
Puerto Rico:
- Good luck: Tucking a religious medallion under your pillow is believed to bring good dreams.
Colombia:
- Bad luck: Sweeping someone’s feet with a broom will keep them from getting married.
Cuba:
- Bad luck: Wearing or displaying the color green at a wedding.
- Good luck: Placing a glass of water behind the front door wards off bad luck.
Dominican Republic:
- Bad luck: Sweeping the floor at night invites evil spirits into the house.
Wherever you are, luck and good fortune are part of the day-to-day in most Spanish-speaking locations. From religious medallions to colorful undergarments, luck is part of the culture.
Learning some expressions to acknowledge or wish someone luck are certainly good additions to your growing Spanish vocabulary. Once you’ve finished going through this list, study these words on your own or with an immersion program like FluentU until you can actually use them in conversation.
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And who knows, by wishing others luck and good fortune, you might, in turn, attract your own luck and become an afortunado (lucky person).
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing…
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