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Ohmyrichard Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

good luck to someone?

Hi, everyone. My pen pal tells me that her husband will have his dental surgery tomorrow. As I will write a reply letter to her, rather than her husband Mike, it may not be appropriate to say only "Good luck!" at the end of the letter. I plan to say "Good luck to Mike! I hope his dental surgery goes well tomorrow", but my Oxford and Longman dictionaries both tell me that "good luck to somebody" means that you do not mind what someone does, because it does not affect you and may help them. The Longman dictionary gives an example sentence after this explanation: Well, if she wants to go on her own, good luck to her, but I'm staying here. Oxford's example sentence is "It's not something I would care to try myself but if she wants to, good luck to her."
What do native speakers of English say when they are in my current situation? I'm confused about it. You guys, please help me out.
Thanks.
Richard
  

Top answer

The Longman example, is only one (and a sarcastic) use of the phrase. "Good luck to Mike! I hope his dental surgery goes well tomorrow"-- This sounds fine and perfectly reasonable to me .

— Mister Micawber

  • The Longman example, is only one (and a sarcastic) use of the phrase.
  • "Good luck to Mike!
  • I hope his dental surgery goes well tomorrow"-- This sounds fine and perfectly reasonable to me .
  • If you are worried about it, simply omit it-- the rest sound appropriately concerned without it.
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2 Answers
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The Longman example, is only one (and a sarcastic) use of the phrase.

"Good luck to Mike! I hope his dental surgery goes well tomorrow"-- This sounds fine and perfectly reasonable to me. If you are worried about it, simply omit it-- the rest sound appropriately concerned without it.
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