Boa sorte
BOH-ah SOR-chee
How to say itPart of: Celebrations
“Good luck.”
Boa sorte is good luck, said before anything that could go either way: an exam, an interview, a match. Brazilians also wish luck by the occasion: boa prova (good exam), boa viagem (safe travels), boa apresentação, and in the theatre merda!, like the French. To encourage: vai dar tudo certo (it’ll all work out), estou torcendo por você (I’m rooting for you).
Looking for happy birthday, cheers and good luck? Celebrations in Portuguese: the guide
EverydayAll Brazilalso: muita sorte, sorte!Reply: Obrigado / obrigada!
How Brazilians use it
“Boa sorte na entrevista amanhã!”
“Good luck in the interview tomorrow!”
Before something that matters.
“Boa prova! Você estudou, vai dar certo.”
“Good luck in the exam! You studied, it’ll be fine.”
Before a test.
“Tô torcendo por você, me conta depois!”
“I’m rooting for you, tell me how it goes!”
Warm support.
“Merda pra todo mundo, a cortina abre em cinco!”
“Break a leg, everyone, curtain in five!”
Theatre and shows only.
How to reply
- Obrigado / obrigada!Thanks.
- Vou precisar!“I’ll need it!”, the self-deprecating reply.
Similar expressions
- Boa viagemSafe travels.
- Vai dar tudo certoIt’ll all work out.
- SucessoAll the best, go well: closing a message.
- ParabénsCongratulations, once it went well.
Brazil vs Portugal
The same in Portugal, where the te is said “t” (SOR-t) and the theatre also says merda.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say buena suerte: Spanish. The Portuguese is boa sorte.
- Don’t wish an actor boa sorte: backstage it is merda!, as in French theatre.
- Don’t pronounce the final te as “tay”: SOR-chee, in most of Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
What does boa sorte mean in English?
Good luck: boa (good) and sorte (luck). It is what you say before an exam, an interview or a match, and the title of a well-known Vanessa da Mata song.
What language is boa sorte?
Portuguese. The Spanish is buena suerte, the Italian buona fortuna. Boa sorte is said the same in Brazil and Portugal.
How do you say good luck in Brazil?
Boa sorte! Before an exam, boa prova; before a show, merda!, like the French; to encourage, vai dar tudo certo or tô torcendo por você.
How do you respond to boa sorte?
Obrigado or obrigada, or the self-deprecating vou precisar! (I’ll need it!).