break a leg
i wanted to know how to say "break a leg!" in spanish so i route my friend yenessia when she runs.
7 Answers
This originates in the theatre, from superstition, and means "Good luck." In the theatre in Spanish, people say "Mucha mierda."
If you simply want to demand that someone break a leg without the theatrical involvement, it is "Rompe una pierna," but this wouldn´t make much sense.
On the whole, I am very distrustful of "folk etymologies" but, for what it it is worth ... It has been suggested that the expression refers to taking bows at the end of the performance. These days, bows are generally done with the legs straight and from the waist. In more civilized times (and to achieve a deeper bow) the knee was bent (thus the term "genuflect"). Presumably, the "women" (played by men) also curtsied deeply (which requires bending the knee{[s)). The suggestion is, therefor, that the "break a leg" refers to the bended knee of the bow.
Julian gave you a good answer, if you're interested in the background of the saying here it is: 
Theatrical superstitions
¡Mucha mierda!" ("A lot of ****!"). The term "A lot of ****" reputedly comes from the success of a play. Where historically people would arrive by carriage. Lots of people meant lots of carriages and horses, leaving "a lot of ****". Instead of saying "break a leg", those who want to wish good luck to the performers wish "mierda" to them.
I have to agree that break a leg in any language wouldn't be good for a running event, only theatrical so I am going with ¡Buena suerte!
when she runs.
Hey, wow, we did not see this, omg.
Go with Fernando's answer, good luck it is:
Buena suerte!!
Do not say break a leg, omg, jejeje, that would sound really off here, in Spanish at least, I have never heard this use in other events than in theatre actually, so you also use it for competitions?
Buena suerte
Buena suerte
Oh nooooooooooooooooooooo.
This would bring lots of disaster to the show...."luck" can't even be mentioned!!
