In Spanish, bueno and bien both 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)
- Describes nouns (people, places, things).
- Means good in terms of quality, appearance, or morality.
- Must agree in gender and number with the noun: bueno, buena, buenos, buenas.
Bien (adverb)
- Describes verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
- Means well (how something is done).
- Does not change form.
Examples
Using bueno
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Él es un buen amigo. |
| English Example |
| Key Point |
| buen = bueno before a masculine singular noun. |
Using bien
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Trabajo bien. |
| English Example |
| Key Point |
| bien describes the verb trabajo. |
Special Cases
Bueno as a noun
- Can mean "a good one" or "well" in casual conversation.
- Example: ¡Bueno, vamos! (Well, let’s go!)
Set phrases with bien
- ¡Bien hecho! — Well done!
- ¡Qué bien! — How good!/That's great!
- Sentirse bien — To feel well.
Using buen vs bueno
- buen is the shortened form of bueno used before singular nouns (e.g., buen día, buen hombre).
- Use bueno in its full form when the adjective stands alone or comes after the noun.
Summary
Remember, bueno tells you about the thing (a good book, a good friend), while bien tells you about the way something is done (reading well, feeling well).
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025