“Good luck” is a really useful phrase in Italian. You can use it to be friendly and polite, like when wishing someone well before a trip or a house move.
And it's one of those phrases that Italians use all the time, so you might hear them say it to you as well.
But Italian has some unique (and surprising) ways to say “good luck”. For example, did you know that you’d need the words for “whale” and “wolf” to say some of the phrases?
Buona fortuna – Good luck
Pronunciation: BWOH-nah for-TOO-nah
Buona fortuna is a simple way to say “good luck” in Italian that’s similar to how we say it in English. It’s literally saying good ( buona ) luck ( fortuna ).
For example: Domani cucino la Carbonara per la prima volta! -Tomorrow I’m cooking carbonara for the first time!
-Buona fortuna! -Good luck!
💡 Good to know : In Italian, you don’t say “good luck with ” ( buona fortuna con ), but “good luck for ” (buona fortuna per ). The same thing happens with the other expressions for “good luck” below.
For example:
Buona fortuna per il nuovo lavoro! -Good luck with the new job!
Buona fortuna per l’evento di stasera! -Good luck with the event this evening!
To reply to buona fortuna you can just say: grazie (thanks).
In bocca al lupo – Good luck (lit. Into the wolf’s mouth)
Pronunciation: Een BOHK-kah al LOO-poh
It might sound strange to say “into the wolf’s mouth” as a way to say “good luck” in Italian, but it’s a really common Italian expression.
There are a few different theories about where it comes from.
Some say it goes back to hunting days as a way to wish someone well if they were heading into danger, like crossing paths with a wolf.
There’s also a theory that it’s a way of saying “good luck” without actually saying it, kind of like how in English you say “break a leg,” because saying “good luck” directly was thought to bring bad luck.
For example:
In bocca al lupo per il tuo viaggio! -Good luck with your trip!
How to Reply to In Bocca al Lupo
Crepi! – Lit. may the wolf die! (Thanks!)
Pronunciation: KREH-pee
If an Italian tells you “good luck” using the phrase in bocca al lupo , the traditional reply is: crepi!
For example:
- In bocca al lupo per il trasloco! -Good luck with the move!
-Crepi! -May the wolf die! (Thanks!)
Crepi comes from crepare , a slang word for “to die” (a bit like “to croak”). The idea behind it is that if the wolf dies, you’re safe.
Although it might sound a bit harsh to say, it’s a very common reply to in bocca al lupo in Italian.
Viva il lupo! – Lit. long live the wolf! (Thanks!)
Pronunciation: VEE-vah eel LOO-poh
Viva il lupo is used as a modern (and more light-hearted or animal-friendly) response to in bocca al lupo. Instead of replying with crepi (“may the wolf die”), you’re saying “let it live”.
For example:
In bocca al lupo per il tuo esame di italiano! -Good luck with your Italian exam!
Viva il lupo! -Long live the wolf! (Thanks!)
In culo alla balena – Good luck (lit. Into the whale’s butt)
Pronunciation: Een KOO-loh AHL-lah bah-LEH-nah
This expression is playful but a bit vulgar, so as you can imagine it’s better to use it with friends or people you know really well.
For example:
Devi rinnovare il passaporto?* In culo alla balena! -You have to renew your passport? Good luck!
(*Italian bureaucracy is famously difficult)
How to Reply to In culo alla balena
Speriamo che non caghi – Let’s hope it doesn’t poop (Thanks!)
Pronunciation: Speh-ree-AH-moh keh non KAH-ghee
If an Italian uses the expression in culo alla balena to wish you “good luck”, you’re meant to reply with the equally vulgar speriamo che non caghi.
For example:
Hai un esame domani? In culo alla balena! -Do you have an exam tomorrow? Good luck!
Speriamo che non caghi -Let’s hope it doesn’t poop (Thanks!)
Auguri – Good luck, congratulations
Pronunciation: Ow-GOO-ree
The word auguri has a few different meanings in Italian. It can mean “good luck”, “congratulations”, “best wishes” and even “happy birthday”.
For example: Vai al mare in agosto*? Auguri! -You’re going to the seaside in August? Good luck!
*Most Italians take their holiday in August and it’s very common to go to the beach. So you can expect very busy beaches at this time of year.
To see how auguri used to say “happy birthday”, you can see our blogpost on Happy birthday in Italian: 24 common phrases and traditions .
Incrociamo le dita – Fingers crossed (lit. let’s cross our fingers)
Pronunciation: Een-kroh-CHAH-moh lay DEE-tah
Like we say “fingers crossed” in English, incrociamo le dita is what you can say in Italian to wish someone good luck or to show you’re hoping something good will happen.
For example:
-Il museo è aperto oggi? -Is the museum open today?
-Incrociamo le dita! -Fingers crossed!
Tocchiamoci le palle – Fingers crossed (Lit. let’s touch our balls)
Pronunciation: Tok-KYAH-moh-chee leh PAL-leh
For the more vulgar version of incrociamo le dita (“fingers crossed”), you can say tocchiamoci le palle. This expression is not very bambini friendly. It’s very informal, so it’s one you want to use with friends or people you know very well.
For example:
Stasera c’è la finale di Champions League, tocchiamoci le palle! -This evening there’s the Champions League final, fingers crossed!
Tocchiamo ferro – Touch wood (Lit. let’s touch iron)
Pronunciation: Tok-KYAH-moh FEHR-roh
While in English we say “touch wood” to bring good luck, in Italian you touch iron. It’s used in the same way as the English expression: you’ve said something positive, but don’t want to tempt fate and bring bad luck.
For example:
Controllo se ci sono ancora biglietti per gli Uffizi… tocchiamo ferro! -I’ll check if there are still tickets for the Uffizi …touch wood!
Il treno sembra in orario… tocchiamo ferro. -The train seems on time…touch wood.
Good Luck in Italian: What to Say and How to Reply: Review
Now you've seen the common ways to say and reply to “good luck” in Italian. Let’s review what you’ve learnt.
-
Buona fortuna – Good luck
For example:
Domani cucino la Carbonara per la prima volta. -Tomorrow I’m cooking carbonara for my in-laws
Buona fortuna! -Good luck!
-
In bocca al lupo – Good luck (lit. Into the wolf’s mouth)
For example:
In bocca al lupo per il trasloco! -Good luck with the move!
-Crepi! -May the wolf die! (Thanks!)Or- Viva il lupo! -Let the wolf live! (Thanks!)
-
In culo alla balena – Good luck (lit. Into the whale’s butt)
For example:
-Devi rinnovare il passaporto? In culo alla balena! -You have to renew your passport? Good luck!
-Speriamo che non caghi -Let’s hope it doesn’t poop (Thanks!)
-
Auguri – Good luck, congratulations
For example:
Vai al mare in agosto? Auguri! -You’re going to the seaside in August? Good luck!
-
Incrociamo le dita – Fingers crossed (lit. let’s cross our fingers)
For example:
-Il museo è aperto oggi? -Is the museum open today?
-Incrociamo le dita! -Fingers crossed!
-
Tocchiamoci le palle – Fingers crossed (Lit. let’s touch our balls)
For example:
Stasera c’è la finale di Champions League, tocchiamoci le palle! -This evening there’s the Champions League final, fingers crossed!
-
Tocchiamo ferro – Touch wood (Lit. let’s touch iron)
For example:
Controllo se ci sono ancora biglietti per gli Uffizi… tocchiamo ferro! -I’ll check if there are still tickets for the Uffizi…touch wood!
K: Ciao a tutti e benvenuti! Hi everyone and welcome to “Learn Italian with Joy of Languages”.
M: “Good luck” is one of those expressions that you can use in lots of everyday situations in Italy, like telling someone “good luck” with a house move or a big trip.
K: In this episode, you’ll find out the different ways to say “good luck” in Italian and importantly: how to reply.
M: You might think you can just say grazie , thank you, but it actually depends on which version of “good luck” someone uses.
K: You’ll hear a conversation between me and Matteo where we talk about some of the bureaucratic things I have to get done to try and organize a doctors’ appointment. If you didn’t know already, Italian burocrazia (bureaucracy) can be a nightmare.
M: Vieni al bar?
K: No, devo fare lo SPID.
M: Ah. Buona fortuna!
K: Grazie… e devo rinnovare la tessera sanitaria
M: Uh… in bocca al lupo!
K: Crepi. E trovare il mio dottore
M: In culo alla balena, ciao!
K: Matteo asked me:
M: Vieni al bar - are you coming to the café? Literally:
Vieni - you come
Al - to the
Bar - café
K: And I replied:
M: No, devo fare lo SPID - No, I have to do the SPID. Literally:
Devo - I must
Fare - to do
Lo - the
SPID - SPID
K: SPID stands for Public Digital Identity System.
M: Or Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale for the full Italian version.
K: The SPID is one of those complicated things that you have to have when you live in Italy to prove your identity. You have a digital profile with your own username and password and it allows you access certain services, like booking doctor’s appointments or getting prescriptions.
M: Only Katie forgot to renew hers and she now has to figure out what to do.
K: If you don’t renew it, it’s difficult to access a lot of the services that you need for daily life in Italy. And of course, once it’s expired, renewing it isn’t straightforward.
Since it’s so complicated, Matteo wanted to wish me “good luck” so he said:
M: Buona fortuna - good luck. Literally:
Buona - good
Fortuna - luck
Buona fortuna
K: This is a simple way to say “good luck” that follows a similar structure to how we say it in English, so you can start with this one if it’s easier to remember: Buona fortuna.
Then I told Matteo:
M: Grazie… e devo rinnovare la tessera sanitaria - thanks… and I have to renew my national health card. Literally:
Grazie - thanks
E - and
Devo - I must
Rinnovare - to renew
La - the
Tessera - card
Sanitaria - health, as in “relating to health”
K: The tessera sanitaria is an Italian healthcard that you also need to book doctor’s appointments and other things to do with public healthcare. If you live in Italy, you need it for pretty much anything medical.
M: You also need it for other things that are less medical related, like buying cigarettes. You can even use it to get out a library book.
K: So if someone says buona fortuna to you in Italian, you can reply with a simple thank you, or grazie.
But then Matteo used another way to say “good luck”: M: In bocca al lupo - good luck. Literally:
In - in
Bocca - mouth
Al - to the
Lupo - wolf
In bocca al lupo
K: Saying a phrase that you can roughly translate as “into the wolf’s mouth” for good luck might sound strange, but it’s a really common way to say “good luck” in Italian.
M: There are a few theories about where the expression comes from, although no one knows for sure. Some people say that it comes from when people went hunting and it was a way to wish someone luck if they ran into danger, like coming face-to-face with a wolf.
K: Some people think it started as a way to say “good luck” without actually saying it, kind of like how in English you say “break a leg,” because saying “good luck” directly was thought to bring bad luck.
K: If you hear in bocca al lupo for “good luck” in Italian, the most traditional reply is the one I used with Matteo, which was:
M: Crepi. Crepi comes from crepare , a slang word for “to die” (a bit like “to croak”). We say crepi , as a short way to say “may the wolf die”. Probably so we can escape! Crepi.
K: Then I added that I also had to: M: E trovare il mio dottore - and find my doctor. Literally:
E - and
Trovare - to find
Il - the
Mio - my
Dottore - doctor
K: I can’t remember who my doctor is and where they are, but neither can Matteo. Italian bureaucracy is confusing for both of us!
Usually when I have to try and figure out all this admin and paperwork, I have a full meltdown, so Matteo wisely tries to avoid the situation. But before he left, he said another way of saying “good luck” in Italian:
M: In culo alla balena, ciao! - good luck. Bye! Literally:
In - in
Culo - bum, or butt in the US
Alla - to the
Balena - whale
In culo alla balena
K: Talking about the “whale’s bum” or “butt” might sound like another strange way to say “good luck”, but just like in bocca al lupo , it’s actually a common expression. Although as you can imagine, it’s not one you would probably want to use in a formal situation. Actually, Matteo, do you know why Italians wish someone to go into a whale’s bum as a way of saying “good luck”?
M: [...]
K: I did a bit of research on this and the theory is that it comes from sailors. Saying “in the whale’s bum” was their way of wishing someone a safe trip. A reference to Jonah in the bible who was protected inside the whale’s belly.
You’ve heard a few different ways that Italians say “good luck”. Let’s see what you can remember.
What’s a simple way to say “good luck” that’s similar to how we say it in English? It has a word that sounds like the English word “fortune”.
[...]
M: Buona fortuna (x2).
K: What’s a way to say “good luck” in Italian that literally means “in the mouth of the wolf?”
[...]
M: In bocca al lupo (x2)
K: And if an Italian tells you in bocca al lupo , what’s the most common reply? It’s one word that literally means “may the wolf die”.
[...]
M: Crepi (x2)
K: And what’s a way to say “good luck” that you could roughly translate as “in the whale’s bum?”
M: In culo alla balena (x2)
K: Let’s listen to the whole conversation again.
M: Vieni al bar?
K: No, devo fare lo SPID.
M: Ah. Buona fortuna!
K: Grazie… e devo rinnovare la tessera sanitaria
M: Uh… in bocca al lupo!
K: Crepi. E trovare il mio dottore.
M: In culo alla balena, ciao!
M: By the way, there’s also a special way to reply to “good luck” if you use the expression in culo alla balena. It’s a really funny reply.
M: You can find it on our website, where you’ll also find some pronunciation tips and more phrases that Italians use to talk about luck, like “fingers crossed” and “touch wood”. Click the link in the description or go to italian.joyoflanguages.com/podcast and search for episode 197.
M: And one last thing – to all the students who are about to start at our Online Italian School this term, in bocca al lupo for your first Italian lessons!
See you next time.
K: Or as we say in Italian.
Alla prossima!
Time to check your understanding and remember everything you just learned! Below you’ll find a mini-quiz and some vocabulary cards to help it all go in.
Quiz: Good Luck in Italian
How much did you learn? Find out in the quiz!
Click here to take the quiz for this episode: Good Luck in Italian
Vocabulary
In bocca al lupo per il tuo viaggio! = Good luck with your trip!
Devi rinnovare il passaporto? In culo alla balena! = You have to renew your passport? Good luck!
Vai al mare in agosto? Auguri! = You’re going to the seaside in August? Good luck!
Il museo è aperto oggi? Incrociamo le dita! = Is the museum open today? Fingers crossed!
Il treno sembra in orario, tocchiamo ferro. = The train seems on time, touch wood.
In bocca al lupo = Good luck (lit. into the wolf’s mouth)
Buona fortuna = Good luck
Crepi! = Thank you! (reply to in bocca al lupo , lit. may it die!)
In culo alla balena = Good luck (lit. in the whale’s butt)
Flashcards: Good Luck in Italian
Not sure how it works? Click here to watch the tutorial
