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How to Say ‘Good luck!’ in Italian

In bocca al lupo!

een BOHK-kah ahl LOO-poh

[een BOHK-kah ahl LOO-poh]

💬 Usage Tip: Literally "into the wolf's mouth", so the words themselves don't say "luck" at all.

🇮🇹 In Italy: Colleagues say this before a big presentation or exam. Answering grazie is considered bad luck, so reply Crepi! instead.

Phrase Breakdown

In bocca

een BOHK-kah

In the mouth

Double the 'c' in 'bocca' (BOK-ka).

Example

Ha la caramella in bocca.

He has the candy in his mouth.

Words in this phrase

[een]

Preposition used to indicate being inside or part of a place or organization.

Example

Uso "in" quando parlo del lavoro in un'organizzazione.

I use "in" when I talk about working in an organization.

bocca

[BOHK-kah]

mouth

The mouth.

Example

Apri la bocca.

Open your mouth.

al lupo!

ahl LOO-poh

of the wolf!

The whole phrase means 'Good luck!'. The usual reply is 'Crepi!'

Example

Esame domani? In bocca al lupo!

Exam tomorrow? Good luck!

Words in this phrase

[ahl]

to the

'Al' is a contraction of 'a' (to) and 'il' (the), often used to indicate flavor or type.

Example

Abbiamo ordinato il gelato al cioccolato.

We ordered the chocolate ice cream.

lupo

[LOO-poh]

wolf

Masculine noun for the wild animal; used in the good-luck idiom, answered with 'Crepi!'.

Example

Il lupo vive nel bosco.

The wolf lives in the woods.

Guides for Italian learners

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