# break a leg



## Solstorm

I'm wondering... is there any equivalent in Finnish for the English 'break a leg' or the Spanish 'mucha mierda'? I've found that 'lykkyä tykö' can be an equivalent, but it literally means 'luck to you' what I'm trying to find is if there's an expression that literally means something bad but that it's actually used to wish good luck (like in English or Spanish).


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## Hakro

I have discussed about this with some friends but we didn't find any  similar Finnish expression. Maybe the younger generation,  daily  adopting new expressions from English, has started saying something like _katkaise jalkasi_. I don't know.


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## MaijaPoppanen

Since _Break a leg_ and _Mucha mierda_ are expressions used in theatres, I explain the situation in Finland.

In Finnish theatres there isn't any established way to wish luck for somebody, it depends on the theather.
Here are my findinds as an amateur actress (I left the stages for better actresses 10 years ago so there may be some changes):
*Riko koipesi/Katkaise jalkasi* etc. (It's just a translation of _Break a leg)_
In some theatres you have to kick in the actors butt with your knee (without saying anything)
In some theatres it's totally prohibited to say (or do) anything to wish luck for somebody

There are probably theaters with their own traditions (not mentioned above) but I don't know about them.


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## pearho

_W_ould it be possible to say "_sinulta katkaiskoon jalka_", in the vein of _sinulta katkaisi jalka?_


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## kirahvi

_Katketkoon sinulta jalka_ would be "may your leg be broken". It sounds very stiff and humorous.

_Katkaista_ is transitive, you have to use the intransitive _katketa_ here.


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## Marsario

> _Katketkoon sinulta jalka_ would be "may your leg be broken". It sounds very stiff and humorous.



Sounds good. 



> _Katkaista_ is transitive, you have to use the intransitive _katketa_ here.



I see, but what about if jalka is not subject but object. Would "Katkaiskoon sinulta jalan" be fine, such as "shall one break your leg? (I believe that pearho’s doubt comes from the fact that the object of an imperative sentence is usually in the basic form (jalka) but it takes the n-suffix when the verb is in the third person (katkaiskoon jalan)).


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