pórtate bien
/poɾtate bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase "be a good boy" can be translated into Spanish as pórtate bien.
The phrase pórtate bien is used by adults to tell children to behave or to tell someone leaving a place to stay out of trouble.
Which one should you use?
The opposite of the phrase is pórtate mal, which means "behave badly" and is often used jokingly with friends or children.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form pórtate is the informal imperative (tú command) of the reflexive verb portarse, so the phrase literally means "behave yourself well."
Did you know?
- The word bien is a linguistic relative of the English word 'bonus', as both originate from the Proto-Italic word *dwenos.
- Telling a friend pórtate mal is a common way to playfully encourage them to have fun or be rebellious rather than a literal wish for them to act poorly.
- While pórtate bien tells a child to behave, parents often use the phrase estáte quieto when the primary goal is for the child to sit still.
Examples in context
- Pórtate bien.Be a good boy.This example shows the use of pórtate bien as a standalone command.Tatoeba #3170772 by marcelostockle, translation #1649019 by Spamster
- Sé siempre un buen chico y respeta a los demásAlways be a good boy and respect others
- Pórtate bien en la escuela.Be a good boy at school.
Example conversation
A mother is leaving her son at a friend's house.
- MaríaDaniel, pórtate bien hoy.Daniel, be a good boy today.
- DanielSí, mamá, lo haré.Yes, mom, I will.
- MaríaNo me des problemas.Don't give me trouble.
- DanielNo te preocupes.Don't worry.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
