Have a good journey in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, French

Spanish

1. Word Overview

• Native phrase: Que tengas buen viaje
• Translation: Have a good journey
• Part of speech: Subjunctive verb phrase
• IPA pronunciation: /ke ˈteŋɡas βwen ˈbjaχe/

2. Example Sentence

Spanish: Que tengas buen viaje y te diviertas mucho. English: “Have a good journey and have lots of fun.” Usage tip: Subjunctive tengas expresses good wishes—common in Spanish farewells.

3. Mini Grammar/Culture Note

Using que tengas (that you have) plus adjective is a standard way to wish someone well. For plural you say Que tengan buen viaje.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Speaking prompt: Record yourself saying Que tengas buen viaje as if sending off a friend.

Italian

1. Word Overview

• Native phrase: Buon viaggio!
• Translation: Have a good journey
• Part of speech: Interjection/phrase
• IPA pronunciation: /ˈbwɔn ˈvjad.dʒo/

2. Example Sentence

Italian: Buon viaggio e facci sapere quando arrivi! English: “Have a good journey and let us know when you arrive!” Usage tip: Brief, friendly, used like “Bon voyage!” in English.

3. Mini Grammar/Culture Note

Italian speakers also say Fai buon viaggio! (“Make a good journey!”) when emphasizing personal wishes.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Writing prompt: Send a short message to a friend heading out: Buon viaggio! plus one detail about their destination.

Portuguese

1. Word Overview

• Native phrase: Boa viagem!
• Translation: Have a good journey
• Part of speech: Interjection/phrase
• IPA pronunciation: /ˈbɔ.a viˈaʒẽj/

2. Example Sentence

Portuguese: Boa viagem e aproveite muito! English: “Have a good journey and enjoy it a lot!” Usage tip: Boa viagem is widely used in Brazil and Portugal for travelers.

3. Mini Grammar/Culture Note

In Brazil you might also hear Tenha uma boa viagem, a fully grammatical alternative using subjunctive.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Listening activity: Pronounce Boa viagem! out loud, and pay attention to the nasal “-agem” ending.

German

1. Word Overview

• Native phrase: Gute Reise!
• Translation: Have a good journey
• Part of speech: Interjection/phrase
• IPA pronunciation: /ˈɡuːtə ˈʁaɪ̯zə/

2. Example Sentence

German: Gute Reise! Ruf an, wenn du angekommen bist. English: “Have a good journey! Call when you arrive.” Usage tip: Formal or informal, short and to the point—very common.

3. Mini Grammar/Culture Note

Gute is the feminine adjective for Reise. There’s no subjunctive; this is a simple well-wish formula.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Speaking prompt: Pair Gute Reise! with “Bis bald.” to practice common farewell phrases.

French

1. Word Overview

• Native phrase: Bon voyage !
• Translation: Have a good journey
• Part of speech: Interjection/phrase
• IPA pronunciation: /bɔ̃ vwa.jaʒ/

2. Example Sentence

French: Bon voyage ! Amuse-toi bien en Europe. English: “Have a good journey! Enjoy yourself well in Europe.” Usage tip: Bon voyage is universal; drop the hyphen when speaking casually.

3. Mini Grammar/Culture Note

French also uses Je te souhaite un bon voyage (“I wish you a good journey”) in more formal contexts.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Writing prompt: Write a short note: Bon voyage ! Profite bien. to a friend going abroad.

5. Multilingual Bonus Comparison

Final Daily Practice Challenge

Choose two phrases and record yourself saying them as if seeing off a friend. Compare rhythm, vowel sounds, and tone—what feels different or similar?