How do you say “Break a leg” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is ¡Mucha mierda!, which literally means “Lots of shit!”. English speakers use break a leg to mean a way of wishing someone good luck, especially before a performance. An established theatrical good-luck wish. It contains a swear word, so “¡Mucha suerte!” is safer outside a familiar performance setting. Register: informal, vulgar, theatrical. Usage frequency: occasional.
Closest natural Spanish
¡Mucha mierda!
/ˈmutʃa ˈmjeɾda/
- Literal meaning
- “Lots of shit!”
- Register
- informal, vulgar, theatrical
- How often it's used
- occasional
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
82 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
English wishes the performer an injury; the Spanish theatre expression uses a swear word. Both turn an apparently unpleasant wish into encouragement before going on stage.
The Spanish phrase is much more restricted by setting and audience. For an interview or an exam, use “¡Mucha suerte!” instead of carrying the theatre joke into the wrong situation.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context3 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in Spanish?
¡Mucha suerte!
Literally: “Lots of luck!”
The broadly useful choice before an exam, interview or performance.
¡Que te vaya muy bien!
Literally: “May it go very well for you!”
Warm and suitable in both personal and polite conversation.
Common translation traps
¡Rómpete una pierna!
Outside a clear reference to the English idiom, this sounds like wishing someone an injury.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in Spanish.
In context
English
Break a leg for tonight’s show!
Spanish
¡Mucha mierda para la función de esta noche!
English
Break a leg in your interview tomorrow!
Spanish
¡Mucha suerte en la entrevista de mañana!
Related expressions
- What “Break a leg” means in English
- Go the extra mile, To make an extra effort.
- Get cold feet, To become nervous and back out.
Last updated 2026-09-13