QUICK ANSWER
"Bien" is an adverb which is often translated as "well", and "bueno" is an adjective which is often translated as "good". Learn more about the difference between "bien" and "bueno" below.
bien, el bien(
byehn
)An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
2. (properly)
a. well
Si la carne molida no se cocina bien, las bacterias no mueren.If the ground meat is not cooked well, the bacteria don't die.
3. (all right)
4. (extremely)
a. very
Me di un paseo bien largo para despejar mi mente.I went for a very long walk to clear my mind.
a. well
Cuando viajé a España, me comentaban que sabía hablar bien el español.When I traveled to Spain, people told me I could speak Spanish well.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Se hace el tonto pero bien sabía que no nos había pagado.He's pretending he didn't, but he knew full well he hadn't paid us.
Bien podías habérselo dicho.You really could have told him.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
8. (benefit)
a. good
Está dispuesto a sacrificar su vida por el bien de la nación.He is willing to sacrifice his own life for the good of the nation.
9. (possession)
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., The cat and the dog slept.).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Bien nos vamos, bien no, pero hay que decidirlo ya.We either go or we don't, but we need to decide.
Tenemos que mudarnos, bien este año, bien el que viene.We have to move, whether it's this year or next.
bueno(
bweh
-
noh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (beneficial)
a. good
La dieta mediterránea es muy buena para la salud.The Mediterranean diet is very good for your health.
2. (useful)
4. (virtuous)
a. good
Un buen hombre dio su vida por la comunidad anoche.A good man gave his life in the service of this community last night.
5. (delicious)
6. (colloquial) (attractive)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).
a. ok
Creo que sería mejor ir al restaurante francés. - Bueno, vayamos.I think it'd be better to go to the French restaurant. - Ok, let's go.
