break a leg

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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.

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Catalan: molta merda! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Chinese Mandarin: 祝你好運 /祝你好运 (zhù nǐ hǎoyùn) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Czech: zlom vaz! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Danish: knæk og bræk! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Danish: pøj — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Danish: pøj! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Dutch: zet hem op — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Dutch: toi toi toi! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Estonian: kivi kotti! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Finnish: tsemppaa! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Finnish: tsemppiä! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• French: je te dis merde ! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• French: merde ! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• French: bonne merde — expression of best wishes to a performer
• German: Hals- und Beinbruch! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• German: Mast- und Schotbruch! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Hebrew: הַצְלָחָה וּבְרָכָה! (hatzlakhá u-v'rakhá!) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Hungarian: kéz- és lábtörést! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Italian: in bocca al lupo! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Italian: in culo alla balena! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Norwegian Nynorsk: skitfiske — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Norwegian Nynorsk: skitjakt — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Polish: połamania nóg — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Polish: powodzenia — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Portuguese: dê o seu melhor! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Portuguese: muita merda! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Romanian: baftă — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Romanian: să fie cu noroc — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Russian: ни пу́ха ни пера́ (ni púxa ni perá) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Russian: ни хвоста ни чешуи (ni xvosta ni češui) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Serbo-Croatian: ни длаке ни пера! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Serbo-Croatian: ni dlake ni pera! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Slovak: zlom väz — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Spanish: ¡mucha mierda! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Spanish: ¡mucha miola/miércale/porra! (bowdlerized) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Swedish: kör hårt! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Turkish: iyi şanslar! — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Turkish: şeytanın bacağını kırmak — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Ukrainian: ні пу́ху ні пера́! (ni púxu ni perá!) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Ukrainian: ні пір'я ні луски (ni pirʺja ni lusky) — expression of best wishes to a performer
• Yiddish: הצלחה און ברכה! (hatslokhe un brokhe!) — expression of best wishes to a performer