Todo bien
/todo bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'all is good' is translated into Spanish as Todo bien.
Todo bien is used to say that everything is fine or that there are no problems. It is frequently used as a standalone response to indicate that no help is needed or that no problems exist.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of todo (everything/all) and bien (well/good).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Todo bien is a common, informal way to respond to 'How are you?' or to confirm that a situation is under control. For a formal expression to convey that all is good, you may use Todo marcha bien.
How does it change in a sentence?
While Todo bien is a common elliptical shorthand, the full grammatical sentence is Todo está bien.
When do people say it?
The phrase can be turned into a question, ¿Todo bien?, by using rising intonation to ask if everything is alright.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, saying Todo bien with a sigh or a specific downward inflection can ironically imply that things are actually quite stressful.
- While Todo bien is a standard response, in many Latin American countries, you might hear people simply say Todo tranquilo to mean that everything is smooth and without trouble.
- In some Caribbean regions, Todo bien is used as a casual greeting and a response simultaneously, creating a rhythmic exchange where both people say the same phrase.
Examples in context
- Hola señor Rodríguez, ¿cómo se encuentra? Todo está bien, gracias.Hello, Mr. Rodríguez, how are you? All is good, thank you.
- Gracias, señor García. ¿Todo marcha bien?Thank you, Mr. García. Is everything going well?
- ¡Hola! ¡Todo está bien!Hi! All is good!
- ¡Claro! ¡Todo va bien!Of course! All is good!
- Todo bien por aquí.Everything is fine around here.
- No te preocupes, todo bien.Don't worry, everything is fine.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are catching up at a cafe.
- Mateo¿Cómo estás, María?How are you, María?
- MaríaTodo bien, ¿y tú, Mateo?Everything is good, and you, Mateo?
- MateoYo también estoy muy bien.I am also very well.
- MaríaMe alegro mucho.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
