When learning Spanish non-native Spanish speakers tend to confuse ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ because their meaning is quite similar. These words are translated as ‘Well’, ‘Nice’ and ‘Good’, respectively. Just as in English, ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ are not interchangeable and using one instead of the other will affect your fluency in Spanish.
So when to use ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’? ‘Bien’ is ‘well’ and we use it to describe a verb or an adjective. ‘Bueno’ and ‘bien’ are ‘good’. However, ‘Bien’ is also close to ‘nice’. They describe people, activities or objects, but ‘buen’ is used to express a person’s opinion or judgment.
Although ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ are close in meaning and they are easy to confuse, they work with different rules and structures. On top of expressing a positive characteristic of an object, person or activity, ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ have other uses. In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between these words as well as their most common uses in Spanish. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you may have a clearer understanding of ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’.
When to use ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’.
As mentioned before, ‘bien’, buen’ and ‘bueno’ are not used with the same structures since these words are quite different. ‘Bien’ is the Spanish adverb for ‘well’ or ‘fine’. Since this word is an adverb it only describes verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. However, you have to be careful when using it with the verb ‘Ser’. When ‘bien’ is describing an adjective or an adverb, it’s translated as ‘quite’, ‘really’ or ‘very’.
| ¡Hablas español muy bien! | You speak Spanish very well |
| Tomás corre bien rápido | Tomas runs really fast |
Just as ‘nice’ and ‘good’ have some nuances of meaning, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ also do. However, this difference is so subtle that, even for native Spanish speakers, it is not always clear.
Unlike ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ are adjectives. This means that these words are meant to describe people, objects or activities. Furthermore, they must agree in number and gender with the noun they are describing. In other words, they have plural and feminine form, a characteristic that ‘bien’ doesn’t have.
‘Bueno’ is the translation of ‘good’ and is placed after the noun. Although in some context ‘buen’ can also mean ‘good’, this Spanish adjective is closer in meaning to the word ‘nice’ when it means pleasant or agreeable. On top of that, ‘buen’ express someone’s personal opinion or judgment about a person, object or situation and ‘bueno’ describes inherited characteristics.
| Juan es buen hombre | Juan is a nice man |
| Juan es un hombre bueno | Juan is a good man |
The previous examples allow us to see that these Spanish words work with different elements and, therefore, their meaning is slightly different. As a result, they cannot be used interchangeably. Let’s discuss in-depth the differences and uses of each one of these words.
When to use ‘bien’ in Spanish?
As mentioned before, ‘bien’ is the Spanish adverb for ‘well’ and ‘fine’. In Spanish, we use this word in the same contexts that you would use ‘well’ and ‘fine’. Here are some of its most common uses as well as some rules to keep in mind.
Using ‘bien’ to describe a verb
An adverb is a word that describes how people are doing an action, therefore, they work with verbs. In Spanish, ‘bien’ goes after the verb. Hence, this is the structure you should be using.
Subject + verb+ bien
| Ana cocina bien | Ana cooks well |
| Karina no habla bien inglés | Karina doesn’t speak English well |
Using ‘bien’ to describe an adjective or an adverb
Just like any other adverb, ‘bien’ also works with adjectives and other adverbs. In this case, its main function is to emphasize the characteristics the adjective is emphasizing or the action that the adverb is describing. Therefore, in this situation, ‘bien’ is the translation of ‘very’, ‘really’ or ‘quite’.
Subject + verb+ been + adjective/adverb
| Sebastián es bien grosero | Sebastian is very rude. |
| Karina habla bien rápido | Karina speaks really fast |
This structure is appropriate in informal Spanish, as a result, you may hear it or use it in verbal conversations.
‘Bien’ with ‘ser’ and ‘estar’.
As you may know, ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ are some special verbs in Spanish which means that you cannot use them interchangeably because you will either change the meaning of the sentence or you will make a grammatical mistake. When it comes to ‘bien’ and these verbs, one important rule to keep in mind is that you are not always going to be able to use this word with the verb ‘ser’. However, ‘estar’ and ‘bien’ work perfectly and without any restrictions.
When NOT to use ‘bien’ and ‘ser’
Here are the two contexts where non-native Spanish speakers tend to use ‘ser’ and ‘bien’ incorrectly.
1. To show agreement.
One of the most common mistakes with ‘ser’ and ‘bien’ is to use these words as a translation of ‘It’s okay’, ‘It’s fine’, ‘All right’ and ‘That’s fine’.
ne of the most common mistakes with ‘ser’ and ‘bien’ is to use these words as a translation of ‘It’s okay’, ‘It’s fine’, ‘All right’ and ‘That’s fine’.
We do not say: ‘Es bien’.
We say: ‘Está bien’.
2. To describe someone or something.
We already discussed that ‘bien’ is an adverb, as a result, it shouldn’t be used as an adjective. In other words, ‘bien’ cannot describe an object, a person or an activity.
Incorrect
La película es bien The movie is well
Correct
La película es buena The movie is good
When to use ‘bien’ and ‘ser’
When ‘bien’ is working as a synonym of ‘very’, ‘really’ or ‘quite’ it can be used with ‘ser’. In other words, when this Spanish adverb is emphasizing an adjective or an adverb, it’s correct to use it with ‘ser’.
| Tu hermano es bien grosero | Your brother is very rude. |
| Mi carro es bien rápido | My dog is really fast |
If you want to learn more about when and how to use the verb ‘ser’, here is an article where we discuss in-depth this verb.
When to use ‘bueno’, ‘buenos’, ‘buena’ and ‘buenas’
As mentioned before, ‘bueno’ is the translation for ‘good’. Unlike ‘bien’, ‘bueno’ is an adjective which means it has plural and feminine forms. Furthermore, ‘bueno’ is a word that we use to describe a noun. This word is placed after the noun.
Esta tienda tiene precios muy buenos This store has very good prices
Mi vecina es buena con los niños My neighbor is good with children
Las enchiladas están bien buenas The enchiladas are very good.
In this last example, we can see ‘bien’ and ‘bueno’ working together. ‘Bueno’ is giving a positive description of a noun and ‘bien’ is emphasizing that information.
Other uses of ‘bueno’
In the previous section, we discussed some of the differences between ‘bueno’ and ‘bien’. Now it is time to learn some other uses for you to apply this word.
1. To answer the phone
In Mexico, people use the word ‘¿bueno?’ when they answer the phone. In this case, ‘¿bueno?’ would be translated as ‘hello?’ or ‘hi?’. Just as ‘hello’ or ‘hi’, we only use ‘¿bueno?’ when the call is personal or informal.
2. As a synonym of ‘Okay’ or ‘Well’.
‘Bueno’ is also the translation of the word ‘okay’ when agreeing with someone. Furthermore, in Spanish, we use ‘bueno’ as a filler word that is when we are making a pause in our speech or when we want to buy some time to think. In this case, it would be translated as ‘well’.
| Bueno, te veo a las 10. | Okay. I’ll see you at 10. |
| Bueno… eso no es lo que quise decir. | Well… that’s not what I meant. |
‘Bueno’ with ‘ser’ and ‘estar’
‘Bueno’ is an adjective that can work with both ‘ser’ and ‘estar’. However, when ‘bueno’ goes with one of these verbs the meaning of the sentences will change completely and if you are not familiar with this, you may have some big miscommunication issues. In order to help avoid this, we’ll discuss the most common contexts where you can use ‘ser’ and ‘estar’. Furthermore, you will be able to see for yourself the huge difference in meaning when using ‘bueno’ with one of these verbs.
‘Ser’ and ‘bueno’
Here are some of the most common uses of ‘ser’ and ‘bueno’. Notice that all of these situations are meant to describe a permanent characteristic of a person or an object. Keep in mind that ‘bueno’ must agree in number and gender with the noun.
1. To express that someone is kind/good-natured
One of the purposes of the verb ‘ser’ is to describe the personality of a person. When combined with ‘bueno’, ‘ser’ expresses a positive quality.
| Jaime es un hombre bueno | Jaime is a good man |
2. To express the quality of an object or an activity.
Just as ‘ser’ and ‘bueno’ describe the personality of a person, we also use it to express that an object or an activity has good quality.
| Lee este libro, es muy bueno | Read this book, it’s very good |
| Mi clase de yoga es buena | My yoga class is good |
3. To express that someone is good at something.
Another common use of the verb ‘ser’ and the adjective ‘bueno’ is to express that a person is good at something. However, for this situation, you need to use the following structure.
Subject + ser+ bueno/buena + para + activity
Sandra es buena para las matemáticas Sandra is good at mathematics
No somos buenas para cocinar We are not good at cooking
Take Note: In Spanish, when talking about activities you can use a noun or an infinitive verb.
‘Estar’ and ‘bueno’
Although most of the times it is not easy to see the difference between ‘ser’ and ‘estar’, when adding the adjective ‘bueno’ we are able to appreciate these verbs. Depending on the situation, ‘estar’ and ‘bueno’ could mean one of these things.
1. An informal expression to say that a person is hot. ‘Estar’ and ‘bueno’ is a slang construction that native Spanish speakers use as a synonym of attractive. Keep in mind that the adjective must agree in number and gender.
El primo de Aurora está muy bueno. Aurora’s cousin is so hot.
¡Mira! ¿Ya viste qué buena está esa chava? Look! Did you see how hot that girl is?
2. To express that a meal tastes good. In order to describe that a meal or dish tastes good, native Spanish speakers use the verb ‘estar’ and ‘bueno’.
Estos tacos están muy buenos These tacos are very good
La pizza que compraste estaba buena The pizza you bought was good
These previous sentences are a perfect example of the difference between ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ and how they can affect the meaning of a sentence. This article will help you better understand how to use the verb ‘estar’ correctly.
When to use ‘buen’
Just as ‘bueno’, ‘buen’ is also an adjective and, therefore, it follows the same rules: it must agree in number and gender with the noun that is describing. Unlike ‘bueno’, ‘buen’ goes before the noun. As a result, it could be translated either for ‘good’ or ‘nice’.
Andrés es un buen hombre Andrés is a nice man
Eres una buena amiga You are a good friend
María y Andrea son buenas maestras María and Andrea are good teachers
So what’s the difference between ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’?
Although they may seem interchangeable, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’ are slightly different. On top of having a different placement in the sentence, these words have some nuances of meaning just as ‘good’ and ‘nice’.
So when we are using ‘buen’ to describe a person we are expressing that this person is agreeable and pleasant. However, when using ‘bueno’ we are saying that the person has values and kindness. Just as in English being a nice person doesn’t mean that you are a good person, in Spanish ‘bien’ and ‘bueno’ have the same meaning.
Another big difference between these adjectives is that ‘buen’ as well as its plural and feminine forms it doesn’t work with the verb ‘estar’.
Uses of ‘buen’
On top of describing people and objects, ‘buen’ has other important uses in Spanish. Learning this uses will help you understand when and how to use this adjective.
To talk about opinions and personal judgment.
Generally speaking, when we are giving our opinion or personal judgment about a situation or person we use ‘buen’ as well as its plural and femine forms. Here are some common examples:
Creo que es una buena idea I think is a good idea
No es un buen libro, no lo lea It’s not a good book, don’t read it.
Amalia es una buena amiga Amalia is a good friend
Notice that these previous examples are based on a person’s opinion. The fact that someone thinks that a movie or book is good doesn’t mean that all people are going to think the same.
As a synonym of ‘a lot’
In informal Spanish, people use the word ‘buen’ as a synonym of ‘a lot’. However, in this case, you have to add the following structure to your sentence.
Verb + un + buen + noun
Tengo un buen de trabajo I have a lot of work
Compré un buen de dulces I bought a lot of candies
Carlos gana un buen de dinero Carlos wins a lot of money
Wrapping Up
Just as in English, in Spanish there are some words that are easily confused because their meaning is very similar. This is the case of ‘bien’, ‘buen’ and ‘bueno’. In this post, we discussed the difference between these words, how to use it them with ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ as well as other common uses. When using these words, keep in mind the following key points.
- ‘Bien’ only describes verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. It’s translated as ‘well’ or ‘fine’.
- ‘Bueno’ is an adjective and it goes after a noun. It’s the translation of ‘good’ and we use it to describe the personality of a person or the quality of objects and activities. When working with the verb ‘estar’, ‘bueno’ becomes an informal phrase to express that a person is attractive.
- ‘Buen’ is also an adjective and is placed before the noun. Depending on the context, it could be translated as ‘good’ or ‘nice’. We use this adjective to describe our opinion about a situation or to express our personal judgment.
Related Questions
What is have a good day in Mexico? ‘Que tengas/tenga un buen día’ is the direct translation of ‘have a good day’. Just as in English, we use it as a way to say good-bye. It shouldn’t be confused with ‘buenos días’ since this phrase it’s a greeting.