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What's ''Good Luck'' in Your Language
English speaking people, usually Americans, say: ''Break a leg'' as a way to express a wish of good luck to someone.
An Italian friend of mine just told me that Italians say: ''In bocca al lupo'' which literally mean: in the mouth of the wolf...
anyone got other phrases?
An Italian friend of mine just told me that Italians say: ''In bocca al lupo'' which literally mean: in the mouth of the wolf...
anyone got other phrases?
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Great question!
'Break a leg' comes from theater, where the superstition is that wishing an actor good luck before he goes onstage is actually BAD luck... so to encourage him you wish for his injury.
Another show biz (business) phrase for this is:
"Knock 'em dead!" (knock them dead) which means to 'knock out' (= impress, from boxing i guess) the audience
"Give 'em hell!"
is a general term of encouragement especially to someone entering a conflict, I seem to remember someone in WW2 saying this, but it's probably older.
"Best of luck" is too formal to actually say aloud much but it makes good writing in a letter or greeting card, or when signing a yearbook. During WW1 a common phrase among soldiers in the trenches before going into battle in which they might likely be killed, was "Over the top and best of luck to you."
The interesting thing is that 'best of luck to you' also has become a phrase which means 'good luck and go away'. For instance if someone on the street is trying to tell you their story, you cut them off with a little blessing. It's actually similar in the Muslim world "God help you" (because I'm not going to)
'Break a leg' comes from theater, where the superstition is that wishing an actor good luck before he goes onstage is actually BAD luck... so to encourage him you wish for his injury.
Another show biz (business) phrase for this is:
"Knock 'em dead!" (knock them dead) which means to 'knock out' (= impress, from boxing i guess) the audience
"Give 'em hell!"
is a general term of encouragement especially to someone entering a conflict, I seem to remember someone in WW2 saying this, but it's probably older.
"Best of luck" is too formal to actually say aloud much but it makes good writing in a letter or greeting card, or when signing a yearbook. During WW1 a common phrase among soldiers in the trenches before going into battle in which they might likely be killed, was "Over the top and best of luck to you."
The interesting thing is that 'best of luck to you' also has become a phrase which means 'good luck and go away'. For instance if someone on the street is trying to tell you their story, you cut them off with a little blessing. It's actually similar in the Muslim world "God help you" (because I'm not going to)
Good question about language. :)
To wish a good luck Russians usualy say "Ни пуха, ни пера!" <Ne pukha, ne pera>, what literally means "don't have a down, don't have a leaf" (leaf here is a piece of plumage).
The person, whom addressed this whish should answer in return "К черту!" <ck chertu>, what literally means like "damn you!". You have to answer that way, or you'll not get the good lack.
It maybe looks roughly, but not in Russia. It's common use.
To wish a good luck Russians usualy say "Ни пуха, ни пера!" <Ne pukha, ne pera>, what literally means "don't have a down, don't have a leaf" (leaf here is a piece of plumage).
The person, whom addressed this whish should answer in return "К черту!" <ck chertu>, what literally means like "damn you!". You have to answer that way, or you'll not get the good lack.
It maybe looks roughly, but not in Russia. It's common use.
yes, good question. here in Catalonia, we just say "bona sort" (good luck) but it is not usual. Normally, people here don't think that luck is something you have to look for. but curiously, after said above, when you have had good luck, the expression that goes is :"he/has trepijat merda" literally "I/you have stepped on shit". (he and has is not english: h is mute and the meaning is: he - i have; has: you have)
in italy we say "in bocca al lupo"
but in calabria the region in which i live we say also "in culo alla balena" that means more or less "in the ass of a whale" eheheh
but in calabria the region in which i live we say also "in culo alla balena" that means more or less "in the ass of a whale" eheheh
well ,we don`t beleive about the luck because we beleive with Act of God so no need for say good luck !!
but we have in my language which it`s arabic language words for that . we say "hadan moowfak " or "bltafweek".
but we have in my language which it`s arabic language words for that . we say "hadan moowfak " or "bltafweek".
in literal arabic, we say for exmple : hadh sa'eed, or hadh mouwafak
but in algerian , hmmm, i don't think there a sentence like that, but the word lucky is : ezzhar,
but we say some sentences with entering god, for example : rabi maak (god with you), rabi iwafak (god helps ) ...
yes, i remeber cheb khaled, an algerian singer sayed : kees echebka fel bhar,
webki 3la zhar
it means : throw fishing nets in the sea, and cry (wait) for the lucky ..it is funny :)
but in algerian , hmmm, i don't think there a sentence like that, but the word lucky is : ezzhar,
but we say some sentences with entering god, for example : rabi maak (god with you), rabi iwafak (god helps ) ...
yes, i remeber cheb khaled, an algerian singer sayed : kees echebka fel bhar,
webki 3la zhar
it means : throw fishing nets in the sea, and cry (wait) for the lucky ..it is funny :)
In Finnish it's just "hyvää onnea" or "onnea" which just literally mean "good luck" or "luck". No complex metaphoras.
So the Chinese version has already been there.
In fact I happened to learn the German version from my reference book today.It's "Toi,toi,toi",which actually means "touch wood".
;)
In fact I happened to learn the German version from my reference book today.It's "Toi,toi,toi",which actually means "touch wood".
;)
In Turkish
Good Luck : İyi Şanslar
And as Zooey said, we use ''God help you'' = ''Allah yardımcın olsun / Allah yardım etsin '' in Turkish too.
Good Luck : İyi Şanslar
And as Zooey said, we use ''God help you'' = ''Allah yardımcın olsun / Allah yardım etsin '' in Turkish too.
Well, actually the most common Italian way to put it is "buona fortuna", that is, literally, "good luck"!
"In bocca al lupo" is pretty common too, anyway; it sounds nice but I don't like the fact you have to answer "crepi" or "crepi il lupo" ("may the wolf die"... it won't bring you luck otherwise!) since I'm an ambientalist lol :)
"In bocca al lupo" is pretty common too, anyway; it sounds nice but I don't like the fact you have to answer "crepi" or "crepi il lupo" ("may the wolf die"... it won't bring you luck otherwise!) since I'm an ambientalist lol :)
We say in georgian წარმატებას გისურვებ "warmatebas gisurveb" which literally means I wish you luck.
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