Meaning

"Good for you" is what you say when someone tells you about something they did or decided, and you're pleased for them: they ran their first race, left a bad job, finally booked the trip. It says "that's good news for your life, and I'm happy about it". It is warm, short and fits almost any relationship.

Tone does all the work. Said with a rising, bright voice, it's real praise. Said flat, with a shrug, it can sound like "I don't care" or even "you think you're special". If you want to sound fully sincere, add a detail: "Good for you, that's a huge step." Don't confuse it with "it's good for you", which means healthy: "Vegetables are good for you."

In a conversation

SophiaRohan
  1. Sophia
  2. Rohan
  3. Sophia
  4. Rohan
  5. Sophia
  6. Rohan

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Check yourself

1Why is Sophia unhappy with Rohan's first "Good for you"?
2Which sentence is about health, not praise?

Practice · 3 min

Listen, then say each line with the voice rising and bright on "good". Then try it flat once, to hear how different it sounds.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.