A person smiling and giving a thumbs-up to a delicious-looking sandwich, representing something good.

buen

/bwen/

AdjectivemA1

good?general quality

Also:nice?pleasant,fine?of high quality

📝 In Action

Hoy es un buen día para empezar.

Today is a good day to start.

Mi abuelo es un buen hombre.

My grandfather is a good man.

Necesito un buen libro para las vacaciones.

I need a good book for the holidays.

¡Que tengas un buen viaje!

Have a good trip!

Word Connections

Synonyms

bueno (good)

Antonyms

mal (bad)

Common Collocations

un buen amigo – a good friend
un buen rato – a good while / a good time
un buen trabajo – a good job
de buen humor – in a good mood

💡 Grammar Points

The Short Form of 'Bueno'

'Buen' is a special, shorter version of the word 'bueno'. You must use 'buen' instead of 'bueno' when you place it right before a word for a single, male person or thing.

Before vs. After

Placing 'buen' before a word (like 'un buen libro') gives a general, positive feeling. Placing the full word 'bueno' after it ('un libro bueno') can feel more like a specific judgment of its quality.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using with Female Words

Mistake: "Es una buen chica."

Correction: Use 'buena' for female words: 'Es una buena chica.' 'Buen' is only for male words.

Using After the Word

Mistake: "Es un amigo buen."

Correction: If the describing word comes after, you must use the full form 'bueno': 'Es un amigo bueno.' 'Buen' must always come before.

Using with Plural Words

Mistake: "Son buen amigos."

Correction: For multiple things, you need the plural form 'buenos': 'Son buenos amigos.' 'Buen' is only for one single thing.

⭐ Usage Tips

Sound More Natural

Using 'buen' before a noun sounds very natural in Spanish. You'll hear it all the time in common greetings and wishes like '¡Buen día!' (Good day!) or '¡Buen provecho!' (Enjoy your meal!).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: buen

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

bueno(good) - adjective

bien(well) - adverb

bondad(goodness, kindness) - noun

buenísimo(very good, excellent) - adjective

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.