bien
“bien” means “well” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
well
Also: fine, correctly
📝 In Action
Ella canta muy bien.
A1She sings very well.
No me siento bien hoy.
A1I don't feel well today.
El examen me salió bien.
A2The exam went well for me.
very
Also: really, quite
📝 In Action
La película es bien buena.
A2The movie is really good.
Vives bien lejos de aquí.
B1You live very far from here.
Llegamos bien temprano.
B1We arrived really early.
good
Also: well-being, goods / property
📝 In Action
Es importante distinguir entre el bien y el mal.
B1It's important to distinguish between good and evil.
Lo hago por tu bien.
B1I'm doing it for your own good.
Sus bienes incluyen una casa y dos coches.
B2His assets include a house and two cars.
okay
Also: good, right
📝 In Action
—¿Nos vemos a las cinco? —¡Bien!
A1—Shall we meet at five? —Okay!
Bien, empecemos con la lección de hoy.
A2Right, let's start with today's lesson.
—Terminé la tarea. —Bien.
A1—I finished the homework. —Good.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bien
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'bien' to mean 'very' or 'really'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'bene', which also meant 'well' or 'rightly'. It's the root of many English words like 'benefit', 'benediction', and 'benevolent'.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between 'bien' and 'bueno'?
The simplest rule is that 'bien' describes actions (it tells you *how* something is done), while 'bueno' describes things or people (it tells you *what* they are like). For example, 'Él canta bien' (He sings well) but 'Él es un buen cantante' (He is a good singer).
Can 'bien' ever be an adjective?
Yes, but it's rare and a bit advanced. It can be used after a noun to describe 'respectable' or 'well-off' people, like in 'una familia bien' (a respectable family). In this case, it doesn't change for gender or number, which is unusual for an adjective.
Why do people say 'bien' instead of 'muy'?
Using 'bien' to mean 'very' (like in 'bien grande' for 'very big') is very common in spoken Spanish, especially in Latin America. It often adds a bit more emphasis than 'muy' and makes your speech sound more natural and conversational.