break a leg

Meaning

Good luck!; Do your best!; Said to someone wishing they perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

Synonyms

good luck

touch wood

Translations

Hals- und Beinbruch

bonne chance

in bocca al lupo

mucha suerte

viel Glück

buona fortuna

merde

toca fusta

boa sorte

buena suerte

viel Erfolg

dire merde

in culo alla balena

bona sort

Etymology

Unknown; many unproven and widely debated theories exist. One of the most plausible is that it comes from Yiddish הצלחה און ברכה (hatslokhe un brokhe, “success and blessing”) through the heavy Ashkenazi Jewish influence in the American theater, via the misinterpretation in German as Hals- und Beinbruch (“neck and leg fracture”). The Yiddish phrase itself comes from Hebrew הַצְלָחָה וּבְרָכָה (hatzlakhá u-v'rakhá, “success and blessing”). Another possible origin was to wish opposite luck on the performer so as not to jinx the statement.