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How to Say "quite" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bastante

/bahs-TAHN-teh//basˈtante/

adverbA2general
Use 'bastante' when 'quite' means 'to a considerable extent' or 'fairly,' modifying an adjective or adverb to indicate a moderate degree.
A comparison showing a regular-sized red apple next to a visibly, but not excessively, larger red apple.

Examples

La película es bastante buena.

The movie is quite good.

Llegaste bastante tarde.

You arrived quite late.

Hemos trabajado bastante hoy.

We've worked a lot today.

The Form That Never Changes

When 'bastante' is used like this (to describe an action or another describing word), it's always 'bastante'. It never changes to 'bastanta' or 'bastantes'.

Using 'Muy' and 'Bastante' Together

Mistake: “La casa es muy bastante grande.”

Correction: La casa es bastante grande. (The house is quite big.) OR La casa es muy grande. (The house is very big.) You only need one of them, as they both describe 'how big'.

bien

/byen//ˈbjen/

adverbA2informal
Use 'bien' as a slightly softer, more informal intensifier than 'bastante,' often translating to 'really' or 'very' when preceding an adjective.
A magnifying glass making a word larger, symbolizing how 'bien' can intensify another word.

Examples

La película es bien buena.

The movie is really good.

Vives bien lejos de aquí.

You live very far from here.

Llegamos bien temprano.

We arrived really early.

A Stronger 'Muy'

Using bien instead of muy before another word often adds a little more emphasis, like saying 'really' instead of 'very'. It's very common in everyday conversation.

Placement is Key

Mistake: “La casa es grande bien.”

Correction: La casa es bien grande.

Bastante vs. Bien

The most common mistake is using 'bien' where 'bastante' is more appropriate, especially in more formal contexts. While 'bien' can mean 'quite,' it often carries a stronger, more emphatic sense similar to 'very' or 'really,' whereas 'bastante' implies a more moderate level of intensity.

Related Translations

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