Break a Leg
Meaning: Good luck, especially before a performance.
If you're about to perform on stage, an English speaker might say, "Break a leg!" But don't worry—they don't actually want you to get hurt! This phrase started in theater culture, where people avoided saying "good luck" because they believed it would bring bad luck instead. Some say it comes from the old superstition that evil spirits might try to make the opposite happen, so by saying something negative, they actually ensured success! Now, "Break a leg!" is just a friendly way to wish someone well.
How to use it
It started in theater and is still most common before plays, concerts, speeches and auditions. Today people also say it before interviews, exams or presentations, in a warm, slightly playful way. It’s a wish, so it’s usually said on its own: “Break a leg tonight.”
Examples
- Your audition is tomorrow? Break a leg.
- Break a leg at the big presentation today.
- The whole team texted me “break a leg” before my first concert.
A common mistake
It’s always break a leg, not “break your leg” or “break legs.” Don’t use it for serious or dangerous situations, like before surgery, where it can sound strange.
Where it comes from
No one knows for sure. The most common explanation is theater superstition: saying “good luck” was thought to bring bad luck, so people wished the opposite. The phrase was already used in theaters by the 1920s.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Transcendence Theatre Company