👏 How to say 'good job' in Spanish (Slang, formal & real-life Spanish!)

At some point, you’ll want to say 'good job' in Spanish — at work, with friends, with your teacher, or even to yourself 💪
But here’s the problem: Spanish doesn’t use one single expression for good job.

Depending on the situation, Spanish speakers choose different phrases depending on:

🏢 How formal the moment is.

🤝 How close you are to the person. 

🎉 How enthusiastic you want to sound.

In this blog, you’ll learn natural ways Spaniards really say 'good job', from polite and professional to casual and slangy. Let’s go 👇

👍 Saying good job in Spanish: what Spaniards actually say

If you translate good job literally into Spanish, you’ll probably find buen trabajo — and yes, it’s correct 👍
But in real life, Spanish speakers don’t always stick to just one expression.

Imagine this situation 👇
Your colleague finishes a presentation, your friend sends you a video they’ve edited, or a student hands in an assignment. In Spanish, the way you react depends a lot on how close you are and how enthusiastic you want to sound.

In neutral situations, Spaniards often say:

👉 Buen trabajo

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👉 Lo has hecho muy bien

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For example:
👉 Buen trabajo, lo has hecho muy bien.
(Good job, you did it very well.)

It’s polite, natural and works in many contexts — but it’s only the starting point 😉

🎯 When Spaniards say well done

Another expression you’ll hear all the time is ¡Bien hecho!

It’s short, clear and perfect when someone has just finished something successfully.

You might hear it after an exam, a presentation or even during sports:

👉 ¡Bien hecho! Has terminado a tiempo.
(Well done! You finished on time.)

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It sounds encouraging and positive without being too formal or too casual — a real Spanish classic 👌

🔥 Adding enthusiasm: very good job in Spanish

Spanish speakers love intensifiers 😄
When something has gone really well, they naturally add a bit more emotion.

That’s why you’ll often hear expressions like:

👉 ¡Muy bien!

👉 ¡Muy buen trabajo!

👉 ¡Excelente trabajo!

For example:
👉 ¡Muy buen trabajo! Estoy muy contento con el resultado.
(Very good job! I’m really happy with the result.)

These phrases are common at work, in class and even at home — anywhere you want to show genuine appreciation.

😎 Casual and slangy ways to say good job

Now let’s move to informal Spanish — the kind you’ll hear with friends, classmates or relaxed colleagues 😏

In these situations, Spaniards often drop trabajo completely and go for something more expressive:

👉 ¡Qué bien!

👉 ¡Genial!

👉 ¡Qué crack!

👉 ¡Te ha quedado genial!

For example:
👉 ¡Qué crack! Te ha quedado genial el vídeo.
(You smashed it! The video turned out great.)

These expressions sound friendly, enthusiastic and very natural, perfect for friends, colleagues you know well, or relaxed situations. — but remember ⚠️ they’re informal, so not ideal for emails or professional settings.

💼 Saying good job in formal Spanish

In more professional or academic contexts, Spanish becomes a bit more structured again.
Here, people tend to use full sentences that sound respectful and clear.

Common options are:

👉 Has hecho un gran trabajo
👉 Excelente trabajo

For example:
👉 Has hecho un gran trabajo en el proyecto.
(You did a great job on the project.)

This kind of language is perfect for: