# buon lavoro!



## diussi

How would you translate CIAO E BUON LAVORO?
Thanks guys!


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## Xerinola

Ciao!
Potrebbe essere "Good work"?

Saluti!

X:


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## Moogey

Suona come l'espressione piuttosto colloquiale "Good Job"

-M


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## fran06

Secondo me si  tratta di una tipica espressione da fine lettera o conversazione.
Tipo: Bye and have a nice day....ma con Buon lavoro.

Ciao


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## diussi

Brava Fran! E' proprio così. Si tratta di lettere di lavoro che mando ad agenti con i quali ho instaurato un rapporto abbastanza confidenziale. Scrivo spesso "Bye and have a great day", ma per cambiare in italiano uso spesso "grazie e buon lavoro"..


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## fran06

Anche io uso spessissimo _buon lavoro_ per chiudere una lettera ma...in italiano. Non ho mai capito se e come si possa dire in inglese....
Non ci sono state altre risposte, spreriamo che qualche madrelingua ci illumini!

Ciao e buon lavoro


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## Sierra

"Good work" and "good job" are expressions to say "Ottimo lavoro!" - to compliment someone on a job well done.

To sign off a letter, I would say something like "Bye for now.  Have a good/great day at work"... or even something more silly like "Happy working" - which is not really correct but I've received and sent this greeting.


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## stellina06

Hello Diussi,
I often write "I wish You a good working day" or "Have a good workiing day". I don't know whether it's right or wrong, but it sounds fine to me.
Have a good working day, then!
Stellina


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## cavillous

Io molto spesso  a mo' di chiusura e di incoraggiamento  uso l'espressione "keep up the good work".

Cavillous


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## seraphin

My boss sent me an email signed off with "buon lavoro". I wonder if this means
(a) I did a good job 
(b) happy working
which to me means something totally different

if (b) is correct, then what do we say to someone when we want to praise him/her for a job well done.

thanks


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## Tristano

buona domanda... ritengo che la prima sia la piu' probabile... (hai fatto un) buon lavoro.

Se invece e' chiaro che ci sia ancora un' bel po' di lavoro da fare, allora potrebbe essere "buon lavoro" e buon proseguimento...

ma aspetto i madrelingua.

Tristano


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## Necsus

Hmm... you should deduce it from the context, anyway if it's written at the end of the email, I suppose your boss are wishing you good work. Yes, also to praise someone for a job wel done you can say '(hai fatto un) buon lavoro', or maybe, even better, 'ottimo lavoro'.


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## seraphin

He is known among us as a "slave driver". That's why a word of "buon lavoro" from him would give me creep, unless he is praising me. He is also known for his sarcasm, which makes the interpretation even more difficult.


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## Tristano

Allora, se lui e' propio cosi', forse l'ha scelta apposta questa chiusura un po' ambigua!

Tristano


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## squeaksoup

What does "grazie e buon lavoro" mean? This is a closing to an email. Does it just mean thank you? How would you translate "buon lavoro?"

Thanks and??

Grazie mille.


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## sayah

Hi,

He or she whish you to have a good day in your job or to work very well. It's just a expression.

Sayah


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## squeaksoup

So in English we might say "Thanks and have a nice day?"


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## sayah

It's more or less the same, but in "e buon lavoro" means to have a nice day in the job. It's more specific.

Sayah


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## Margot Estrin

"buon lavoro" is an example of why translation can be so difficult. There isn't a real equivalent in English. Yes, "Have a nice day at work" (or "in the job" if you will) would be the translation but unlike Italian... we English speaking people simply do not say that. ie. we are not that specific. It so struck me that I remember the first time that I heard it...


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## squeaksoup

So, do you think "Thanks and have a nice day" works(as a translation)?
Thanks for your input.


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## Margot Estrin

Hi squeaksoup...."Thanks and have a good day at work" would be closer but hey... yours is not bad....


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## singh

Most of the suggestions seem more of just simple translation. 
I normally use expressions like "Have nice working day"  ,"All the best for your work".
because some expressions just do not exist in another language so it is enough to transmit the message in the best possibile manner.
This expression in my native language Hindi is hardly used. 

Sigh

Another possibility could be "Enjoy your work"


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## Panco

Hi!
Vi scrivo per sapere come poter augurare in maniera informale "Buon Lavoro!"
grazie a tutti

Panco


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## elfa

Ciao Panco,

Il fatto sta che inglese non si dice! Ma per renderlo in qualche maniera, si potrebbe dire: 'Have a good/nice day'. 

Per essere più specifico, si potrebbe anche dire: 'Have a good day at the office'. Lo direbbe una moglie a suo marito che sta per partire per un giorno di lavoro in ufficio.


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## stefio

I was thinking that maybe "Enjoy you work!" could sound more similar to the italian expression, being more short and direct, isn't it!

Cheers!
Stefio


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## Odysseus54

No, we don't say that in English.  I never use that in my Italian correspondence either, it is not that common nor generally expected.   In 25 years in business I encountered that closing perhaps 10 times.

I actually find it a bit patronizing.


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## Astropolyp

Odysseus54 said:


> I actually find it a bit patronizing.



I don't think it's patronizing (not even "a bit" ). A few days ago I received an e-mail that ended with "Happy drawing in the meantime", which reminded me of expressions like "Nel frattempo, buon(o) studio/lavoro/divertimento etc."


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## MStraf

Odysseus54 said:


> ... I actually find it a bit patronizing.


It could be, like the Japanese "ganbatte kudasai" is not something that you go and tell your boss ;-)
It depends on the contest, wishing "buon lavoro" is something quite common in Italy, at least it was.

And I agree: when my wife and I depart from home in the morning we say  _"*have a nice day*, sweetie"_ to each other, and of course it means "at the office" because it is where we are going. For me, it is the closest translation.


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## lucatuby

I know this is an old post...but my comment could be usefull anyway.

I can understand it is a bit confusing, because it could be translated in both ways....

Anyway, writing to colleagues, it is quite common to write "Buon lavoro" at the end of a mail...and it is just a wish! We also say that to say good bye to a friend is going to work after our meeting....

To say you made a good job, he would most probably say "Ottimo lavoro!"


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## elena73

lucatuby said:


> Anyway, writing to colleagues, it is quite common to write "Buon lavoro" at the end of a mail...and it is just a wish! We also say that to say good bye to a friend is going to work after our meeting....
> 
> To say you made a good job, he would most probably say "Ottimo lavoro!"



Confermo. A volte proprio come sostituzione dei saluti finali in ambito lavorativo. 

Sort of: 

Abbiamo ricevuto quest'ordine importante, è successo XY. Speriamo di aprire una nuova sede. Altri aggiornamenti in futuro. Etcc..

Buon lavoro/Buon lavoro a tutti.

Mario Rossi


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## infinite sadness

Sì, "buon lavoro" a fine mail è solo un modo per salutare, è come dire "buon proseguimento" o al limite anche in sostituzione di "buona giornata", per cui direi che è giusta l'opzione b) (happy working).


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## danalto

Anche perché per dire che ha svolto un "buon lavoro", avrebbe probabilmente scritto "Ottimo lavoro", a fine mail!


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## fabulousplanet

What about "good luck with your work"?


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## elfa

fabulousplanet said:


> What about "good luck with your work"?



Secondo me, questo presuppone che ci sia qualcosa di difficoltoso, che un collega abbia dei problemi nel svolgere il suo lavoro.


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## Blechi

In  my opinion if an Italian native speaker ends a letter writing Grazie e buon lavoro, he means Thank you and keep on working.  Had he meant Thanks for the good job, he would have written Grazie per il buon lavoro svolto. Or Grazie per l'ottimo lavoro. If I want to thank the recipient for his job and say I do like it, then  I  might  also write  Ottimo lavoro! Grazie.


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## fabulousplanet

I watched a footage yesterday, and, at the end of it, the American protagonist said: "Bye for now, and GOOD WORK"!


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## matira

Salve a tutti, riapro questa discussione per confrontarmi con voi su questa traduzione:

Vi auguriamo buon lavoro.

Vi spiego il contesto: si tratta di una pagina facebook, i cui amministratori hanno organizzato una competizione. I partecipanti devono inviare le loro creazioni a questa pagina e gli organizzatori, dopo aver spiegato le regole, concludono con la frase che ho scritto.

Il mio tentativo è questo:

have an happy working time!  

Vi sembra troppo "forzato"?

Grazie a chi vorrà aiutarmi.


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## elfa

matira said:


> have an happy working time!
> 
> Vi sembra troppo "forzato"?



Ciao matira 

Non ho mai sentito in vita mia "Have a happy working time". 

Un'idea sarebbe _Good luck with the competition!_ o
_
Good luck with your entries!_


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## matira

Ciao Elfa, nemmeno io l'ho mai sentito , ma non sapevo proprio come uscirne... vogliono che si auguri loro un buon lavoro -.-

Happy working??


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## joanvillafane

matira, I agree with Elfa -  we don't say  Happy working. If you want to keep the word "work" you could say:

Good luck with your work!


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## elfa

matira said:


> vogliono che si auguri loro un buon lavoro -.-



Lo so, ma come già discusso, è una frase che in inglese non si dice! In alternativa, si potrebbe dire
_
Happy drawing!_ o l'attività che è...



matira said:


> Happy working??



Nemmeno.


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## matira

Grazie mille a entrambi 
Credo che "Good luck with your work!" sia un buon compromesso


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## Odysseus54

"Buon lavoro" in Italian is an invitation to get busy, a way to wish that your work be fruitful.  In a competition, it would be something like 'get started and good luck!'.

It covers a lot of possible meanings , from 'have a productive day' among peers, friends, relatives, to 'get busy' from a boss to an underling.  You would not say that to your boss or to someone who is higher up in the food chain. _They_ don't work, and if they do, you are not supposed to notice or to mention it.

A couple of years ago I wrote here that I find it somewhat patronizing - I still do  , my immediate reaction is to think 'what's it to you if my day is productive or if I decide to go fishing?'.  But then again, I am often grouchy.


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## elfa

Odysseus54 said:


> it would be something like 'get started and good luck!'.



Nice  I like it.


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## stellina06

matira said:


> Salve a tutti, riapro questa discussione per confrontarmi con voi su questa traduzione:
> 
> Vi auguriamo buon lavoro.
> 
> Vi spiego il contesto: si tratta di una pagina facebook, i cui amministratori hanno organizzato una competizione. I partecipanti devono inviare le loro creazioni a questa pagina e gli organizzatori, dopo aver spiegato le regole, concludono con la frase che ho scritto.
> 
> Il mio tentativo è questo:
> 
> have an happy working time!
> 
> Vi sembra troppo "forzato"?
> 
> Grazie a chi vorrà aiutarmi.



Hi, Matira!
I don't think it is correct. Anyway, in case you use words beginning with H, pay attention to its pronunciation: if you hear it, remember to use A instead of AN. A HAPPY, not AN HAPPY!

Have a good working day?


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## elfa

stellina06 said:


> Have a good working day?



Not in this context, stellina. You would more likely say this in an office situation or in a work email - although personally I would never say this.


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## stellina06

elfa said:


> Not in this context, stellina. You would more likely say this in an office situation or in a work email - although personally I would never say this.



Ooopps! 
I actually thought it WAS an office situation...


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## chipulukusu

stellina06 said:


> Ooopps!
> I actually thought it WAS an office situation...



In effetti, il _buon lavoro_ nel contesto di Matira, trattandosi di un augurio in vista di una competizione, ha un valore diverso rispetto al _buon lavoro_ con cui abitualmente in Italia concludiamo una mail per un collega con cui abbiamo rapporti cordiali senza però essere in stretta amicizia.

Nel caso di Matira ha più il valore di un augurio di avere un buon rsultato, di piazzarsi bene nella competizione, tanto che si potrebbe anche esprimere con un _blatant "do a good job!"

_Nel caso delle nostre mail di lavoro, il significato è diverso; è più un _be well at work_ nel senso che dal momento che _devi _ lavorare, spero almeno che starai bene al lavoro, senza stress o rogne particolari. Per questo, come giustamente già detto (mi sembra da Odysseus), non lo scriverei mai a un mio superiore.

Come sta diventando comune _be well_ come saluto finale, potrebbe forse diventare un giorno comune anche _work well_, e anche in forma scritta. _Work well _lo dico sempre alle persone della mia famiglia quando stanno andando a lavorare o, per telefono, quando sono al lavoro (_work well at school _ai membri più giovani... ), ma immagino che sia un uso che mi viene direttamente dall'italiano e che non sia idiomatico in inglese...


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## Blechi

Credo che molti abbiano perso di vista il fatto che molte espressioni si dicono in una lingua e non in un'altra.

Perché? Perché sì. Perché è così.

Have a nice day. Work well !


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## joanvillafane

Hi chip and hi Blechi - I don't know about British English, but here I don't think anyone would say "Work well!"  "Come saluto finale," as you said chip, we probably say "Have a nice day at work!"


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## chipulukusu

joanvillafane said:


> Hi chip and hi Blechi - I don't know about British English, but here I don't think anyone would say "Work well!"  "Come saluto finale," as you said chip, we probably say "Have a nice day at work!"



Thank you for the information about American English, Joan . I don't think nobody would say that in British English as well; in fact no native has mentioned it all along this long thread. I was trying to give an idea of what we mean when we write _buon lavoro_ at the end of a mail at work as a greeting. I am sorry if I may have caused any confusion, particularly among non native speakers.


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## NagiMahori

Yeah ok, but "Grazie e buon lavoro" it's not referred simply to THAT (one, single) day, "Buon lavoro" implies "I wish that everything will continue to be fine in your job and yor working days will be pleasant as best until the end!" ...That's how it sounds in Italian. Maybe in english there's no such content...


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## HM_f

Re-opening this old thread to ask a question. 

Does "keep up the good work" sound patronizing as closure of a letter? It's for an acquaintance who's writing me something as a favour during their spare time. I don't want to sound too formal, but I'm unsure how to wish them to do a good work and convoy that I'm happy and grateful with what they are doing for me. Any suggestions?


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## Giorgio Spizzi

Credo anch'io ci siano poche speranze di rendere decentemente in inglese "Buon lavoro!", e le ragioni sono semplicemente culturali: nel mondo di lingua inglese—come è già stato detto—non si usa. Punto. 
Sappiamo tutti che ci sono tante "cose" che si traducono con un silenzio: dal "Salute!" a chi ha starnutito al "Buon appetito", per finire a "Buon anno e auguri di proficuo lavoro". 
Basta farsene una ragione. 

GS


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## Paulfromitaly

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> nel mondo di lingua inglese—come è già stato detto—non si usa. Punto.


Esattamente.
Insistere nel voler tradurre in inglese un'espressione tutta italiana come "buon lavoro" è come voler essere sicuri al 100% che chi legge quello che scriviamo capisca che non siamo madrelingua inglese.


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## MR1492

I have to agree that we just don't have an equivalent in AE to _buon lavoro_.  We tend to use the ubiquitous "Have a nice/great day," as one of our go-to statements at the end of an email.  I work for the US Army and many folks will use something like "Have a great Army day," or something similar.

Personally, I like to end mine with something like "_Divertitevi ad assaltare il castello_," (Have fun storming the castle) but that's just me!

Phil


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## HM_f

Grazie Giorgio, Paul e MR, anche se a dire il vero ho riaperto questa vecchia discussione per porre una domanda un po' dettagliata sul corretto modo di dire "grazie e buon lavoro" nel mio specifico caso. Potete aiutarmi? Qui sotto allego il mio precedente commento a cui sto facendo riferimento:



HM_f said:


> Re-opening this old thread to ask a question.
> 
> Does "keep up the good work" sound patronizing as closure of a letter? It's for an acquaintance who's writing me something as a favour during their spare time. I don't want to sound too formal, but I'm unsure how to wish them to do a good work and convoy that I'm happy and grateful with what they are doing for me. Any suggestions?


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## MR1492

HM_f said:


> Re-opening this old thread to ask a question.
> 
> Does "keep up the good work" sound patronizing as closure of a letter? It's for an acquaintance who's writing me something as a favour during their spare time. I don't want to sound too formal, but I'm unsure how to wish them to do a good work and convoy that I'm happy and grateful with what they are doing for me. Any suggestions?



HM_f,

Sorry for not answering your question!!  I lost track of it in this long thread.  I think "keep up the good work" might sound a little patronizing.  Context is, of course, important but I would not use those written words alone.

I would suggest something like "Thank you for all your hard work on the project.  I really appreciate it."

Phil


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## HM_f

Thank you Phil! I'll use the sentence you suggested.


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## chipulukusu

In a working environment I'd use "keep up the good work" only from a superior to a subordinate. Never between same level coworkers and never ever from a subordinate to a boss.

Another context where I see it is from a customer to a service/consumer goods provider:

"we acknowledge that the glitch you reported was our fault, so you can retrieve a new device from your reseller at your earliest convenience."

"Thank you, this was great customer care. _Keep up the good work! "_


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## MR1492

@chipulukusu I think you are absolutely right. Very well done, my friend. You showed a nice understanding of both the language and the cultural nuances. 

Phil


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## chipulukusu

MR1492 said:


> @chipulukusu I think you are absolutely right. Very well done, my friend. You showed a nice understanding of both the language and the cultural nuances.
> 
> Phil


Thank you Phil, that's a great encouragement from you!


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## MarkRD

Hello, new here .... very interesting debate!

I really don't think there is an equivalent in English to 'buon lavoro', much like 'buon appetito'! It's a cultural thing.


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## sorry66

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> Sappiamo tutti che ci sono tante "cose" che si traducono con un silenzio: dal "Salute!" a chi ha starnutito[/QUOTE]
> .


That would be 'Bless you!'



Giorgio Spizzi said:


> "Buon appetito"


In London, a lot of waiters say 'Enjoy your meal!' They're mostly foreign, though - with a fair few Italians.

Buon lavoro - I'd probably say something like 'Well, have a good day and don't work too hard/overdo it!'.


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## Giorgio Spizzi

1. Ai bambini italiani viene/veniva insegnato fin da bambini a dire "Salute!" a chi ha/aveva starnutito, non così diversamente da "Grazie!" a chi ci aveva rivolto una gentilezza. Non mi risulta che "Bless you!"—che pur si dice— abbia questo statuto nella lingua inglese. 
It's not as deeply ingrained in the culture or in the language, I bet you'll agree.
2. Ovviamente  "Bless you!" _non comunica_ lo stesso messaggio che invece viene è convogliato da "Salute!". 
3. Quanto alla traduzione di "Buon lavoro" si possono dire _tante_ cose, ma stiamo attenti a non recitare la Divina Commedia.

GS


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## london calling

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> 1. Ai bambini italiani viene/veniva insegnato fin da bambini a dire "Salute!" a chi ha/aveva starnutito, non così diversamente da "Grazie!" a chi ci aveva rivolto una gentilezza. Non mi risulta che "Bless you!"—che pur si dice— abbia questo statuto nella lingua inglese.
> It's not as deeply ingrained in the culture or in the language, I bet you'll agree.
> 2. Ovviamente  "Bless you!" _non comunica_ lo stesso messaggio che invece viene è convogliato da "Salute!".
> 3. Quanto alla traduzione di "Buon lavoro" si possono dire _tante_ cose, ma stiamo attenti a non recitare la Divina Commedia.
> 
> GS


Non ho capito Giorgio. _Salute!_ e _Bless you!_ sono la stessa cosa, a mio avviso: _Bless you!_ deriva dal fatto che lo starnuto era uno dei sintomi della peste bubonica. Immagino che _Salute!_ abbia un'origine simile se non identica. E anche ai bambini inglesi viene insegnato di dire _Bless you!_ quando qualcuno starnutisce, esattamente come insegniamo loro la parolina magica _Thanks_ (and don't forget 'please').

I agree with my fellow natives about "Buon lavoro". Not something we really say. I might well write "Have a good day" or similar  in an informal e-mail to a person I have spoken to or met and with whom I have a fairly informal working relationship, or to a friend/co-worker. Otherwise, no way! And _Good work!_ in English is a false friend, which I believe has already been said. It means_ Ben fatto!_ and would probably be construed as very patronising (unless you knew the person well).


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## Paulfromitaly

london calling said:


> I agree with my fellow natives about "Buon lavoro". Not something we really say


Would you please repeat this another dozen times? The penny hasn't dropped yet for some non natives


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## sorry66

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> 3. Quanto alla traduzione di "Buon lavoro" si possono dire _tante_ cose, ma stiamo attenti a non recitare la Divina Commedia.


Si può dire anche niente! Si traduce con un silenzio come hai detto. Non immagino un situazione dove ho bisogno di menzionare il lavoro in questa maniera.
Mi dispiace se il seguito è come recitare la Divinia Commedia
X: I have to get (back) to work. I've got a long day ahead of me.
Y: Don't overdo it!
Ho l'impressione che gli italiani qui vogliono assolutamente una traduzione e ho provato da dare un esempio per mostrare come non è possibile da dire 'Enjoy your work/Happy work!' Most people I know, don't look forward to going to work.

LC ha gia spiegato 'Bless you' e sono d'accordo con lei.

(Sorry for the bad Italian, but you got to start somewhere!)


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## Giorgio Spizzi

Ciao, London.
Grazie per avermi detto che ai bimbi inglesi viene insegnato a dire "Bless you!" quando qualcuno starnutisce. Non lo sapevo. Ero convinto che si trattasse di un "optional", e per giunta più tipicamente da "persona d'una certa età". 

Ciao, sorry66.
Scusami per l'ironia sulla Divina Commedia e complimenti per il tuo italiano! Stai facendo un _ottimo lavoro_, e ti auguro _buon lavoro_ .

GS


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## sorry66

Grazie Giorgio!


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## london calling

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> Ciao, London.
> Grazie per avermi detto che ai bimbi inglesi viene insegnato a dire "Bless you!" quando qualcuno starnutisce. Non lo sapevo. Ero convinto che si trattasse di un "optional", e per giunta più tipicamente da "persona d'una certa età".


Prego, Giorgio. Ovviamente però le buone maniere non sono da tutti, né qui né al paese mio.....

Buon lavoro.

PS. Se qualcun altro chiede come si dice "Buon lavoro!" in inglese giuro che m'arrabbio.


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## arico76

Quando assegno un esercizio da svolgere in classe, come posso augurare ai miei studenti "Buon lavoro"?


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## rrose17

I’m pretty sure this has been covered elsewhere but English doesn’t have standard phrases for situations like this. For example, we use the French for bon appetit and bon voyage. In your example I really can’t imagine a teacher saying anything other than something like “this is an interesting exercise, let’s get to it”.

edit: Well I see that it has been covered, a lot!


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## You little ripper!

A teacher in Australia might say:

_Knock me dead!
Dazzle me!
Wow me!
Blow my mind!

 _


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## symposium

Maybe, in this instance, a close translation of "Buon lavoro!" could be "Do your best!".


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## theartichoke

arico76 said:


> Quando assegno un esercizio da svolgere in classe, come posso augurare ai miei studenti "Buon lavoro"?



"Have fun!" is a possibility in this situation, though, obviously, it depends on what you're teaching.  It can also be said with a touch of irony, if you happen to have assigned something particularly difficult.

 It also depends on the age of your students: any of the above suggestions, from _knock me dead! _to _do your best! _would sound patronizing if you're teaching adults, whereas _buon lavoro_ seems to me to be as neutral as _buon viaggio_.


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## You little ripper!

theartichoke said:


> It also depends on the age of your students: any of the above suggestions, from _knock me dead! _to _do your best! _would sound patronizing if you're teaching adults


I wouldn’t say something to a child an adult would find patronising. Whether the child understood something I said to an adult is a different story, so knowing the age of the student would be helpful. The fact of the matter is we don’t have a translation for “Buon lavoro” so the possibilities of what a teacher might say in this situation are endless!


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## HalfTaff

symposium said:


> Maybe, in this instance, a close translation of "Buon lavoro!" could be "Do your best!".



I think this is probably the best suggestion so far.


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## theartichoke

HalfTaff said:


> I think this is probably the best suggestion so far.



Is it just me who thinks "do your best!" is something that would sound encouraging if said by an elementary-school teacher, but terribly patronizing if said by, say, a person teaching adults in a language course? 



You little ripper! said:


> I wouldn’t say something to a child an adult would find patronising.



To me, "dazzle me!" and the like suggest a relationship between teacher and class where the class is doing their work, in some sense, "for" the teacher: again, a relationship that applies in some circumstances and not in others. It's perhaps dependent on factors other than the age of the students.


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## rrose17

It's not just you.


theartichoke said:


> _buon lavoro_ seems to me to be as neutral as _buon viaggio_.


 
I agree. It's not some great exhortation to go out there and do something amazing. It's like saying "have a good one!" Not that anyone would say have a good one in this sort of context but just to point out how neutral it sounds.


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## You little ripper!

theartichoke said:


> It also depends on the age of your students: any of the above suggestions, from _knock me dead! _to _do your best! _would sound patronizing if you're teaching adults, whereas _buon lavoro_ seems to me to be as neutral as _buon viaggio_.


It has already been established that there is no translation for the expression. Mine were suggestions that a teacher in Australia might say in this situation.




theartichoke said:


> To me, "dazzle me!" and the like suggest a relationship between teacher and class where the class is doing their work, in some sense, "for" the teacher: again, a relationship that applies in some circumstances and not in others. It's perhaps dependent on factors other than the age of the students.


 

The assumption is that it’s an ordinary assignment set by a teacher in an ordinary  school setting. It may very well be, but we can’t be sure. We have no idea what is being taught or what the assignment is. Maybe we should get more details before making suggestions in future.


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## fasteddie1971

The question of how to translate _buon lavoro_ has vexed me for some time, so I was heartened to stumble on this thread, which has lasted years already....

It's been amply discussed that native English speakers don't have a direct equivalent, but I think I've found one.....though it's a bit old fashioned and only applicable in some circumstances.

Imagine an officer in the military talking to a more junior rank.  Imagine a VIP (e.g. a Royal), being presented to somebody while they are doing their job.  Imagine a boss talking to one of his factory workers.  In other words, it's clear who is the senior person in the relationship.  The more senior person, to close the dialogue, just before moving on might say, in Italy, "_Buon lavoro_!"  In the UK he (or she, but as I said it's old fashioned, so in my mind's eye I see it as in black & white, and it's a he!) might say "Carry on!"

I don't think people say it much in the 21st century any more, but in the early/mid-20th century they definitely did.  It's also worth pointing out that the "Carry On...." films (products of the 1960s and 1970s in the main) may have contributed to the decline in this usage.

Finally, you would never say it in writing, e.g. at the end of an email, so it's much less versatile than _buon lavoro_.

But, if I were providing English subtitles for an Italian black & white film and someone said "_Buon lavoro_" in one of the contexts mentioned above, I would definitely use "Carry on!"

Thoughts, anyone?


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## chipulukusu

fasteddie1971 said:


> Imagine an officer in the military talking to a more junior rank.  Imagine a VIP (e.g. a Royal), being presented to somebody while they are doing their job.  Imagine a boss talking to one of his factory workers.  In other words, it's clear who is the senior person in the relationship.  The more senior person, to close the dialogue, just before moving on might say, in Italy, "_Buon lavoro_!"  In the UK he (or she, but as I said it's old fashioned, so in my mind's eye I see it as in black & white, and it's a he!) might say "Carry on!"



I think this is exactly where the cultural misunderstanding may occur. _Buon lavoro_, how we use it, has nothing to do with a senior/junior relationship or with an appreciation for the job done. It is simply equivalent to say _Have a nice day_ to a person that you know will be at work for the rest of the day.
To put things more clearly: I work as a customer support agent and I usually end my e-mail with _Buon lavoro_ when I write to an Italian customer. _But_, if it is around 5pm or of it is a Friday afternoon I would find odd to end with _Buon lavoro_ and I would rather end with _Buona serata_ or _Buon fine settimana_ respectively.
In other words _Buon lavoro_ is the exact equivalent of wishing a _Buona giornata_ to a person you know will be spending the rest of the day at work.
There is simply no need of a translation for _Buon lavoro_ when _Have a nice day_ fits the bill perfectly.


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## fasteddie1971

chipulukusu said:


> I think this is exactly where the cultural misunderstanding may occur. _Buon lavoro_, how we use it, has nothing to do with a senior/junior relationship or with an appreciation for the job done.



No cultural misunderstanding from my side, I'm well aware that _Buon lavoro_ is not *necessarily* used from someone senior to someone junior (though it can be used that way). And neither does it have anything to do with an appreciation for a job well done (I didn't say it did).  I've had office-based jobs in Italy for over 25 years now and have wished, and been wished, _buon lavoro _on countless occasions (verbally and in writing, to and by peers, bosses, subordinates, customers and suppliers!)

My point is that on the (admittedly small) subset of occasions when _Buon lavoro _is used verbally by a senior person to a junior person (e.g. in the scenarios I outlined) then a good translation could be (or could have been....as I said, it's old fashioned so of limited practical use in 2021) "Carry on".



> when _Have a nice day_ fits the bill perfectly



I think _Have a nice day_ is still slightly problematic for British English speakers, at least those of a certain vintage.  Traditionally if you asked a British person to do an impersonation of an American, they would probably make a dodgy attempt at a stateside accent and drawl "Have a nice day!"  It wasn't something people said in the UK until the '80s/'90s, being viewed as yet another linguistic import from the US, sneered at for being a wholly insincere salutation you'd receive when leaving a "store".

It's certainly less sneered at now, but in many contexts (e.g. a General talking to a Private) it isn't a good translation of _Buon lavoro_...it would sound weird, in fact.  And I think _Have a nice day_ to end an email would be odd in most business contexts too (an email from a customer support agent being one of the exceptions where it would be fine, because you're providing a service and I guess you're expected to pretend to care about whether your customer has a nice day or not )

I still think _Buon lavoro _is mainly untranslatable and so one is better off not translating it at all, rather than trying to shoe-horn something in for the sake of it.


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## elfa

fasteddie1971 said:


> No cultural misunderstanding from my side, I'm well aware that _Buon lavoro_ is not *necessarily* used from someone senior to someone junior (though it can be used that way). And neither does it have anything to do with an appreciation for a job well done (I didn't say it did).  I've had office-based jobs in Italy for over 25 years now and have wished, and been wished, _buon lavoro _on countless occasions (verbally and in writing, to and by peers, bosses, subordinates, customers and suppliers!)
> 
> My point is that on the (admittedly small) subset of occasions when _Buon lavoro _is used verbally by a senior person to a junior person (e.g. in the scenarios I outlined) then a good translation could be (or could have been....as I said, it's old fashioned so of limited practical use in 2021) "Carry on".
> 
> 
> 
> I think _Have a nice day_ is still slightly problematic for British English speakers, at least those of a certain vintage.  Traditionally if you asked a British person to do an impersonation of an American, they would probably make a dodgy attempt at a stateside accent and drawl "Have a nice day!"  It wasn't something people said in the UK until the '80s/'90s, being viewed as yet another linguistic import from the US, sneered at for being a wholly insincere salutation you'd receive when leaving a "store".
> 
> It's certainly less sneered at now, but in many contexts (e.g. a General talking to a Private) it isn't a good translation of _Buon lavoro_...it would sound weird, in fact.  And I think _Have a nice day_ to end an email would be odd in most business contexts too (an email from a customer support agent being one of the exceptions where it would be fine, because you're providing a service and I guess you're expected to pretend to care about whether your customer has a nice day or not )
> 
> I still think _Buon lavoro _is mainly untranslatable and so one is better off not translating it at all, rather than trying to shoe-horn something in for the sake of it.


My own feeling is that "Carry on!" would only be used in BE in a very limited context these days. E.g. in the army from a person in a higher rank to a subordinate. I cannot think of another situation in which anyone might comfortably say that without sounding a) old-fashioned or b) being interpreted as condescending.

I agree that "Have a nice day" isn't widely adopted by BE speakers, but "Have a _good_ day" is used frequently (apologies if this has alreadly been mentioned in the thread) - although you wouldn't use this as a sign-off in an email.


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## rrose17

And of course another that most Brits would find appalling (not a favourite of mine either) is the very common “Have a good one!” which is very often used in work situations. To my Canadian ears “Carry on!” sounds like a Monty Python parody.


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## chipulukusu

fasteddie1971 said:


> No cultural misunderstanding from my side


Sorry I definitely misunderstood your post.

I am aware that it is odd to end an e-mail to a British customer with "have a nice day" and I accurately avoid it. It is however normal in e-conversations with Dutch, German, Austrian or Indian customers and I use it freely. I rarely interact with US customers but I think I have used it with them too without thinking too much. It is also a no-no for me with Australian customers though I am not sure if they would mind at all.


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## symposium

Well then, we can translate it, although of course no such phrase is used in English, with "Have a nice working day!".


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## joanvillafane

one more: Have a nice day at work!


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## giovannino

joanvillafane said:


> one more: Have a nice day at work!


Hi Joan, long time no see🙂
I would also say “Buon lavoro” to a student doing his homework or to someone working on a translation. In such cases none of the phrases which have been suggested would work.


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## Paulfromitaly

My 2 cents:

- Have I ever said "Buon lavoro!"? NO - It sounds condescending, slightly annoying and, at times, a lot like some sort of "piss take". 
- Would I translate it? NO, unless I'm asked to translate an Italian text literally, word by word, and therefore I can't leave it out.
It's that sort of overly politically correct expression that people who don't work, are in charge or want to sound nice will say.



giovannino said:


> I would also say “Buon lavoro” to a student doing his homework


Yes, that's the first time I remember hearing it.. "you won't be able to do it, you hate doing this but... buon lavoro!"


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## joanvillafane

Hi giovannino!  You're right, of course. The Italian phrase is much more adaptable.


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## rrose17

giovannino said:


> I would also say “Buon lavoro” to a student doing his homework or to someone working on a translation. In such cases none of the phrases which have been suggested would work.


In this case “keep up the good work!” might do.


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## symposium

One more thing: apart from being just a general way of wishing somebody they have a nice day at work, "Buon lavoro" can be used when referring to a specific task: I'm thinking of a teacher wishing good luck to his/her students before a test, or even just if you meet someone who is doing some kind of minor domestic work like fixing something (repairing a leaking faucet, mending a piece of clothing...) you could translate it, maybe, with "Good luck with that!", right?


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## elfa

symposium said:


> Well then, we can translate it, although of course no such phrase is used in English, with "Have a nice working day!".


Sorry, symp, but I've never ever heard this!


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## rrose17

“Enjoy the rest of your day” would be something you’d see on an email, or in person. It’s slightly formal sounding to say to someone close to you but definitely works in more professional settings.


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## fasteddie1971

The problem is that _Buon lavoro _can be just a throwaway two word salutation that's almost a conversational space filler, whereas most of these other suggestions feel contrived and a bit clumsy.  Also, as joanvillafane said, _Buon lavoro_ is adaptable in the way it fits a wide range of situations, whereas these translations only work for specific ones.

Anyway, this all reminds me of one of Winston Churchill's favourite phrases: "KBO", standing for "Keep Buggering On", which he used to end phone conversations.  In a way, this was used by him as a kind of _buon lavoro_-type salutation (albeit more foul-mouthed, and with a _non mollare mai _kind of vibe to it!)

Keep Buggering On – Ty Bennett


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## Luca Tufo

diussi said:


> How would you translate CIAO E BUON LAVORO?
> Thanks guys!


It doesn't exist in English. You just say
See you around/later and have a nice rest of your day


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## elfa

Luca Tufo said:


> have a nice rest of your day


Never heard this one   

On the other hand_ Enjoy the rest of your da_y is quite common


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