Good luck vs Let’s break a leg

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Good luck

Top 1,000 (very common)

Let’s break a leg

Informal Top 3,000 (common)

Most formal: Good luck Most common: Good luck

	Good luck	Let’s break a leg
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ɡʊd lʌk// 🇺🇸 //ɡʊd lʌk//	🇬🇧 //lɛts breɪk ə lɛg// 🇺🇸 //lɛts breɪk ə lɛg//
Meaning	I hope you succeed or have a good outcome.	Good luck
Example	I know you have a big presentation today, so good luck!	Before she went on stage, her friends said, 'Let’s break a leg!'
Register	Neutral	Informal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 3,000 (common)
Collocations	wish good luck, send good luck, give good luck	break a leg before, let's break a leg, wish to break a leg
Antonyms	bad luck, misfortune, ill fortune, unluckiness	-
Common mistakes	Used inappropriately in formal situations., Confused with 'good lucking' which is incorrect.	Misunderstanding it as a request for physical harm., Using it in serious contexts where encouragement is not appropriate., Not knowing it is mainly used for performances.
Usage notes	Commonly used to wish someone success. Suitable for various contexts but avoid in formal settings like job interviews.	Use in casual contexts to wish someone good luck, especially before performances. Avoid in formal settings.

See it in real clips

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

Good luck, my prince.

- Yeah. Well, good luck. - Oh, come on. You're like everybody else.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Good luck.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

Good luck, my prince.

- Yeah. Well, good luck. - Oh, come on. You're like everybody else.

Good luck

Frequently asked questions: Good luck vs Let’s break a leg

What's the difference between Good luck and Let’s break a leg?

Good luck: I hope you succeed or have a good outcome. Let’s break a leg: Good luck

Which is more formal: Good luck and Let’s break a leg?

Good luck is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Good luck and Let’s break a leg?

Good luck is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Good luck: I know you have a big presentation today, so good luck! Let’s break a leg: Before she went on stage, her friends said, 'Let’s break a leg!'

Can I use Good luck and Let’s break a leg interchangeably?

Not always. Good luck and Let’s break a leg are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.