Meaning & use
mazel tov
Last updated
Meanings
interjection
Used to congratulate someone on a happy event, especially a wedding, birth, or bar mitzvah.
Grammar: Said on its own as a complete wish; it is not followed by 'for' or 'to'.
Patterns
- mazel tov to someone
- say mazel tov
Mazel tov! When is the wedding?
The whole family shouted "Mazel tov!" when the baby was named.
She sent a card that said simply, "Mazel tov on your graduation."
noununcountable
A congratulatory wish or blessing, especially at a Jewish celebration.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: people give mazel tov, not 'a mazel tov'.
Patterns
- give someone mazel tov
- offer mazel tov
Guests lined up to give the couple mazel tov.
He offered mazel tov to his colleague on the new job.
Common combinations
- mazel tov on something
- Mazel tov on your engagement!
- say mazel tov
- Everyone said mazel tov as they left the ceremony.
- wish someone mazel tov
- We wish you mazel tov on this happy day.
- a hearty mazel tov
- A hearty mazel tov to the new parents!
Synonyms and how they differ
- congratulations
- The general English word for any success or happy event; mazel tov is more specific to Jewish celebrations and carries a blessing tone.
- well done
- Praise for effort or achievement, not a blessing at a family celebration, so it rarely fits a wedding or birth.
Word family
- mazel noun
- The Yiddish word for luck or fortune that forms the first part of the phrase.
Commonly confused: mazel tov or mazal tov?
mazel tov vs mazal tov
An alternative spelling of the same phrase; both are accepted, but 'mazel tov' is the most common form in English.
Practice
Which sentence uses "mazel tov" correctly?
Choose one answer.
Mazel tov is a fixed congratulatory phrase used for happy events, so 'on the birth of your daughter' fits. Option A uses it for a future wish rather than a congratulation, and C and D treat it as a verb or adjective, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mazel tov”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.