Bueno vs Bien
In Spanish,buenoandbienboth relate to the idea of "good," but they are used in different ways because one is an adjective and the other is an adverb.
Usage
Bueno(adjective)
- Describesnouns(people, places, things).
- Meansgoodin terms of quality, appearance, or morality.
- Must agree in gender and number with the noun:bueno, buena, buenos, buenas.
Bien(adverb)
- Describesverbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
- Meanswell(how something is done).
- Doesnotchange form.
Examples
Usingbueno
Usingbien
Special Cases
Buenoas a noun
- Can mean "a good one" or "well" in casual conversation.
- Example:¡Bueno, vamos!(Well, let’s go!)
Set phrases withbien
- ¡Bien hecho!— Well done!
- ¡Qué bien!— How good!/That's great!
- Sentirse bien— To feel well.
Usingbuenvsbueno
- buenis the shortened form ofbuenousedbefore singular nouns(e.g.,buen día,buen hombre).
- Usebuenoin its full form when the adjective standsaloneor comesafter the noun.
Summary
Remember,buenotells you about thething(a good book, a good friend), whilebientells you about thewaysomething is done (reading well, feeling well).
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025