How to Say Good Luck in German: 15 Natural Phrases

The standard way to say good luck in German is Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/. It works before an exam, job interview, trip, competition, or any situation where chance may help. If you want to sound more personal, say Ich drücke dir die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/, the German equivalent of keeping your fingers crossed.

German is spoken by roughly 135 million people worldwide, according to Ethnologue, and has official or co-official status in six countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, and Luxembourg. That range matters because a good-luck phrase can feel neutral, warmly personal, formal, or specifically theatrical depending on the setting.

For a first conversation, Viel Glück is the safe choice. Pair it with the friendly openings in our guide to saying hello in German, then choose a more specific phrase once you know what the person is facing.

The best German phrase for most situations

Viel Glück

Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ literally means “much luck.” It is concise, idiomatic, and suitable for almost every everyday context.

The vowel in Glück /ɡlʏk/ is written with ü. It is not the vowel in English “luck.” Round your lips as if saying /uː/ but try to produce /ɪ/. For a focused explanation of this and other German sounds, see our German pronunciation guide.

You can make the wish more specific by adding bei /baɪ/, meaning “with” or “at,” plus the event:

• Viel Glück bei der Prüfung /fiːl ɡlʏk baɪ deːɐ̯ ˈpʁyːfʊŋ/, good luck on the exam.
• Viel Glück beim Bewerbungsgespräch /fiːl ɡlʏk baɪm bəˈvɛʁbʊŋsɡəˌʃpʁɛːç/, good luck in the job interview.
• Viel Glück morgen /fiːl ɡlʏk ˈmɔʁɡn̩/, good luck tomorrow.
• Viel Glück auf der Reise /fiːl ɡlʏk aʊf deːɐ̯ ˈʁaɪzə/, have a good trip.

The Duden dictionary records Glück /ɡlʏk/ as both luck or fortune and happiness. In a phrase such as Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/, the intended sense is clearly luck or favorable circumstances.

When success matters more than luck

Viel Erfolg

Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/ means “much success.” It is often the better wish when someone’s result depends mainly on competence, preparation, or sustained effort.

Say Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/ to a colleague before a presentation, a student before an exam, or someone starting a demanding project. It sounds encouraging without implying that the person needs luck because they are unprepared.

A useful distinction is simple:

German linguist Ulrich Ammon, in Die Stellung der deutschen Sprache in der Welt, examines how German functions across national and international settings. In practical terms, that broad German-speaking area rewards a neutral phrase like Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ or Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/, because both travel well between regions.

Viel Erfolg bei der Prüfung

For an exam, Viel Erfolg bei der Prüfung /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪ deːɐ̯ ˈpʁyːfʊŋ/ is polished and thoughtful. Prüfung /ˈpʁyːfʊŋ/ means exam, test, or assessment.

Use it with classmates, teachers, coworkers, and acquaintances. If you are writing a message to a professor, instructor, or professional contact, it is a particularly safe option.

The phrase Germans use for personal support

Ich drücke dir die Daumen

Ich drücke dir die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/ means “I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.” Literally, it says “I press my thumbs for you.”

This is one of the most culturally revealing German encouragement phrases. English speakers cross fingers, while German speakers traditionally press their thumbs into their fists. The expression is so established that people use it whether or not they make the physical gesture.

Use dir /diːɐ̯/ with one person you address as du /duː/. With someone you address formally as Sie /ziː/, say Ich drücke Ihnen die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə ˈiːnən diː ˈdaʊmən/.

The Institut für Deutsche Sprache’s work on pragmatics emphasizes that linguistic meaning is shaped by communicative context, not only dictionary definitions. That is exactly the difference here: Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ is a wish, while Ich drücke dir die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/ tells the listener that you are emotionally invested in the outcome.

Daumen drücken

Daumen drücken /ˈdaʊmən ˈdʁʏkən/ is the shorter infinitive form, meaning “to keep one’s fingers crossed.”

You will hear it in questions and short messages:

• Drück mir die Daumen! /dʁʏk miːɐ̯ diː ˈdaʊmən/, keep your fingers crossed for me.
• Wir drücken dir die Daumen. /viːɐ̯ ˈdʁʏkən diːɐ̯ diː ˈdaʊmən/, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for you.
• Daumen sind gedrückt. /ˈdaʊmən zɪnt ɡəˈdʁʏkt/, fingers crossed.

The final example is informal and common in texts. It leaves out the subject, but the meaning is clear: the speaker is rooting for you.

Encouragement that means “you can do it”

Du schaffst das

Du schaffst das /duː ʃafst das/ means “you can do it” or “you’ll manage it.” It is ideal when someone is nervous and needs confidence rather than luck.

The formal version is Sie schaffen das /ziː ˈʃafn̩ das/. It can sound supportive in professional situations, but it is less common as a standalone wish than Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/.

Toi, toi, toi

Toi, toi, toi /tɔɪ tɔɪ tɔɪ/ is a traditional good-luck formula, particularly associated with performers, artists, and sometimes sports. It is roughly comparable to saying “break a leg,” although the exact cultural history is different.

In ordinary conversation, use Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ instead. Toi, toi, toi /tɔɪ tɔɪ tɔɪ/ has a playful, slightly theatrical tone, and it can sound charming when you know the person well.

The German equivalent of “break a leg”

Hals- und Beinbruch

Hals- und Beinbruch /hals ʊnt ˈbaɪnˌbʁʊx/ literally means “neck and leg break.” Like English “break a leg,” it is a traditional performance wish and should not be interpreted literally.

The final sound in Bruch /bʁʊx/ is the back-of-the-throat ch /x/, similar to the sound in Bach /bax/. It is not pronounced like English “ch” in “church.”

Do not use Hals- und Beinbruch /hals ʊnt ˈbaɪnˌbʁʊx/ before a medical procedure, a driving test, or an ordinary meeting. The phrase belongs to a recognizable performance tradition. A plain Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ is more appropriate elsewhere.

Good luck for specific situations

Exams and tests

For exams, these are all natural:

• Viel Glück bei der Prüfung! /fiːl ɡlʏk baɪ deːɐ̯ ˈpʁyːfʊŋ/
• Viel Erfolg bei der Klausur! /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪ deːɐ̯ ˈklaʊzuːɐ̯/
• Ich drücke dir die Daumen! /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/

A Klausur /ˈklaʊzuːɐ̯/ is usually a substantial written exam, especially at a university or school. For more everyday German, build your base with the 100 most common German words.

Job interviews and work

Before an interview, say Viel Erfolg beim Vorstellungsgespräch /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪm bəˈvɛʁbʊŋsɡəˌʃpʁɛːç/. It sounds capable and professional.

For a colleague facing a presentation, Ich wünsche dir viel Erfolg bei deiner Präsentation /ɪç ˈvʏnʃə diːɐ̯ fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪ ˈdaɪnɐ pʁɛzɛntaˈtsi̯oːn/ is warm but still workplace-appropriate. With formal address, use Ihnen /ˈiːnən/ and Ihrer /ˈiːʁɐ/.

Sports and competitions

Viel Erfolg beim Spiel /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪm ʃpiːl/ and Viel Glück beim Wettkampf /fiːl ɡlʏk baɪm ˈvɛtkampf/ both work. Spiel /ʃpiːl/ means game or match, while Wettkampf /ˈvɛtkampf/ means competition.

Close friends may add Du packst das /duː pakst das/, meaning “you’ve got this.” It is slightly more colloquial than Du schaffst das /duː ʃafst das/ and carries an upbeat, confident tone.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not say Gutes Glück /ˈɡuːtəs ɡlʏk/ as a direct translation of “good luck.” German uses viel /fiːl/, meaning “much,” in the standard expression: Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/.

Do not use Hals- und Beinbruch /hals ʊnt ˈbaɪnˌbʁʊx/ universally. It is memorable, but its performance context is narrow.

Also pay attention to du /duː/ versus Sie /ziː/. Saying Ich drücke dir die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/ to a close friend is natural. To a manager, client, or unfamiliar adult, use Ich drücke Ihnen die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə ˈiːnən diː ˈdaʊmən/ or simply Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/.

German politeness is not only about choosing formal vocabulary. It also depends on recognizing social distance and relationship. The Goethe-Institut’s learning materials consistently treat address choice as a core part of communicative competence, and encouragement phrases are a useful place to practice it.

A final choice guide

Choose Viel Glück /fiːl ɡlʏk/ when you need one dependable phrase. Choose Viel Erfolg /fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk/ for work, study, and achievement. Choose Ich drücke dir die Daumen /ɪç ˈdʁʏkə diː diː ˈdaʊmən/ when you want to show real personal support.

For performers, Hals- und Beinbruch /hals ʊnt ˈbaɪnˌbʁʊx/ is the culturally accurate equivalent of “break a leg.” Once the moment has passed, follow up naturally with phrases from our guide to saying goodbye in German, such as a warm wish for the next meeting.