Perfect Score Spanish Perfect Score Spanish

Short answer

“good luck” in Spanish is buena suerte

How to say good luck in Spanish?

How to say good luck in Spanish? The standard answer is buena suerte (BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh). Use it before an exam, a trip, an interview or any new step. For extra encouragement, say ¡Mucha suerte! ("lots of luck!") or the warmer Que tengas suerte ("may you have luck"). In work and performance settings, ¡Éxitos! is a natural alternative. A word-for-word translation like buena fortuna sounds old-fashioned, so stick with suerte for everyday wishes.

phrase¡Mucha suerte! / Que tengas suerte / ¡Éxitos! Updated November 3, 2026

Common pairings

buena suerte en — good luck at/inmucha suerte con — a lot of luck withte deseo buena suerte — I wish you good lucktener suerte — to be luckydar buena suerte — to bring good luck

How to use it

  • Buena suerte is the all-purpose phrase in Spanish, just like "good luck" in English. It works with friends, coworkers and strangers — Spanish does not switch to a formal version here.
  • ¡Mucha suerte! turns up the enthusiasm. Use it when someone is nervous or when the stakes feel high, like a big test or a job interview.
  • Que tengas suerte is a warmer, more personal wish. The Que + present subjunctive pattern is the standard way to say "may you..." in Spanish.
  • ¡Éxitos! is very common in Latin American work and performance settings. In Spain it is also used, though ¡Buena suerte! remains the safest choice everywhere.

Examples

Buena suerte en tu examen.
Good luck on your exam.
buena suerte (BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh) literally means "good luck." Put en before the event or situation.
¡Mucha suerte con tu nuevo trabajo!
Good luck with your new job!
mucha suerte (MOO-chah SWEHR-teh) means "lots of luck." Con introduces the task or activity you are wishing luck with.
Que tengas suerte en tu entrevista.
May you have luck in your interview.
Que + subjunctive (tengas) is the classic Spanish pattern for wishes: "may you have..." It sounds warmer and more personal.
¡Éxitos en tu presentación!
Best of luck with your presentation!
Éxitos (EH-ksee-tos) literally means "successes" and is very common in work, sports and performance situations.

Common mistakes

WrongCorrectWhy
Que tienes suerte. Que tengas suerte. Wishes use Que + subjunctive (tengas); tienes, the indicative, describes a fact instead of making a wish.
UnnaturalNaturalWhy
Buena fortuna. Buena suerte. Buena fortuna is a literal-looking translation but sounds dated and stiff; everyday Spanish wishes someone buena suerte.
Buena suerte para tu examen. Buena suerte en tu examen. para is a word-for-word translation of "for"; Spanish pairs suerte with en before an event or place.

FAQ

  1. How to say good luck in Spanish?
    The standard phrase is buena suerte (BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh). Use it before an exam, a trip, an interview or any new challenge.
  2. Is buena fortuna a correct way to say good luck?
    Buena fortuna appears in formal or literary Spanish, but in everyday conversation it sounds old-fashioned. Use buena suerte instead.
  3. How do I say good luck on an exam in Spanish?
    Say ¡Buena suerte en tu examen! or ¡Éxitos en tu examen! In Latin America, ¡Éxitos! is especially common for exams and presentations.
  4. What is the difference between buena suerte and mucha suerte?
    Mucha suerte (or ¡mucha suerte!) means "lots of luck." It is a stronger, more enthusiastic version of buena suerte, used when someone is nervous or facing a big challenge.