Bueno vs Bien
When to use bueno versus bien depends on whether you need an adjective or an adverb, so first identify what word you are modifying.
Bueno
Use bueno (and its forms buena, buenos, buenas) to modify a noun, since it is an adjective that agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍎 La manzana está buena. | The apple tastes good. |
| 🧑 Ella es buena persona. | She is a good person. |
| 🥫 El pan es bueno y fresco. | The bread is good and fresh. |
| 👨👩👧 Tienen buena fama en el barrio. | They have a good reputation in the neighborhood. |
More Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧀 El queso estuvo bueno hoy. | The cheese was good today. |
| 🧑🌾 El granjero es bueno y ayuda siempre. | The farmer is good and always helps. |
| 🌳 El parque está en buena condición. | The park is in good condition. |
| 📦 Recibimos un paquete con productos buenos. | We received a package with good products. |
Bien
Use bien to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb; it functions as an adverb and does not change form.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍽️ Comí bien en el mercado. | I ate well at the market. |
| 🧼 Las manos quedan bien limpias. | The hands are nice and clean. |
| 🕒 Llegamos bien a tiempo. | We arrived well on time. |
| 🎨 Quedó bien pintado el cartel. | The sign was painted well. |
More Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🚶 Caminamos bien por las calles. | We walked well through the streets. |
| 🔧 Arreglaron bien la bicicleta. | They fixed the bike well. |
| 🛒 Organicé bien las bolsas. | I organized the bags well. |
| 💤 Dormí bien después del viaje. | I slept well after the trip. |
Special Expressions
Some set phrases use buen (the shortened adjective form) before singular nouns, and others require bien because they adverbially modify an action or condition.
Summary
Remember: use bueno/buen to describe nouns and bien to describe how something is done or to modify adjectives; paying attention to whether you need an adjective or adverb will guide you to the right choice.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025