The difference in bien and bueno.

Question

I always thought that bien essentially equaled "well" or a state of being while bueno was the English equilavent of good. If I were to say "Mi español es no muy bueno" ...would that be correct? I can't recall the specific example, but at times when I use these two words it seems like I get some funny looks...

Answer 1

Your explanation es ok.

But it is: es un buen corredor (he runs very fast)

Es un corredor bueno (it sounds as if you're saying the runner is a kind person)

It isn't the same to say:

Es una gran persona (moral size)
Es un persona grande (physical size)

Answer 2

we don't use the personal pronoun

Gracias....comprendo

Answer 3

Elguapo,
Your examples don't support your statement that bién can function as an adjective. Can you think of any examples of such a case?

Randy should be aware that, at least in parts of Latin America, he will hear people say "Está bueno." In fact, that phrase gets nearly two million googits. The nuance is different from "es bueno."

BTW, while Dunia has already explained that bueno must come (as buen) before the noun corredor above, I'll add that you have to use an article (un/una) whenever a noun is modified by an adjective.

ÿl es marinero.
ÿl es un buen marinero.

Ella es jugadora.
Ella es una jugadora magnífica.

Answer 4

Parece que los dos se pueden usar.

? gente (de) bien (=los ricos) well-off people, well-to-do people

Creo que "gente bien" es una manera corta de decir "gente bien nacida."

Answer 5

It is very easy: "bueno" goes with a noun and "bien" goes with a verb.

"Mi español no es muy bueno" is correct.

"No hablo español bien"

Remember that "no" goes always before de verb.

Answer 6

I think bien can function well as both an adverb and an adjective, although ostensibly its main meaning is as an adverb.

He runs well - el corre bien (adverb)
He is a good runner - es corredor bueno(adjective)

Answer 7

Gracias...yo comprendo.

Answer 8

Bien can be used as an adjective and it means "well to do".

Son gente bien - They are well to do.

Son de casa bien - They come from a good home.

By the way James, is there supposed to be an accent above the (e) in bien.

Answer 9

Son gente bien - They are well to do.

Good to know, thanks.

By the way James, is there supposed to be an accent above the (e) in bien[']

I was under the mistaken impression that there was. Thanks for pointing that out. I wonder how long I've been making that mistake. [grimace]

Answer 10

I was beginning to think that I had been making the mistake by omitting it.

Answer 11

I really appreciate that people on this list are willing to correct me. When I write to my friends in Spanish, they don't bother to do it, or don't want to hurt my feelings. So I've been putting in an extraneous accent for God knows how long, until you finally were kind enough to point it out to me.

I owe you one!

Answer 12

Eddy wrote:
By the way James, is there supposed to be an accent above the (e) in bien'

Eddy, it just now occurred to me why I was doing this. (light bulb moment!) It's because the word también takes an accent. That was making me think that the word bien also needed one.

Anyway, thanks again for setting me straight.

Answer 13

Wierd language isn't it. Oops, Weird

Answer 14

You mean "Son gente de bien" and "ellos son de buena familia"

Answer 15

Para mi "gente bien" no esta bien dicho o estoy equivocada'