buen
“buen” means “good” in Spanish (general quality).
good
Also: nice, fine
📝 In Action
Hoy es un buen día para empezar.
A1Today is a good day to start.
Mi abuelo es un buen hombre.
A1My grandfather is a good man.
Necesito un buen libro para las vacaciones.
A2I need a good book for the holidays.
¡Que tengas un buen viaje!
A1Have a good trip!
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: buen
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Buen' is a shortened form of 'bueno', which comes from the Latin word 'bonus', meaning 'good'. This shortening happens with a few other common adjectives in Spanish.
First recorded: This shortening process, called apocope, has been a feature of Spanish for centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'buen' and 'bueno'?
'Buen' is simply a short version of 'bueno'. You use 'buen' ONLY when it comes right before a singular, masculine noun (like 'un buen día'). In all other situations—such as after a noun, or with feminine or plural nouns—you use a form of 'bueno' ('bueno', 'buena', 'buenos', 'buenas').
Why does 'bueno' get shortened to 'buen'?
It's a natural evolution of the language that makes speech flow more smoothly. A few other common adjectives, like 'malo' (mal) and 'grande' (gran), do the same thing. You'll get used to the pattern quickly!
Can I ever say 'buen' by itself?
No, 'buen' always needs a masculine word to follow it immediately. For example, you can't just answer 'Buen' to a question. You would need to say 'Bueno' (Okay/Good) instead.