buono
/ˈbwɔ.no/masculine
The Italian word for good (pleasant or enjoyable) is buono.
As an adjective, buono is used to describe something as pleasant, enjoyable. It can also be used to describe a person's character as being kind or nice.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
Which one should you use?
While buono describes the quality of a noun (a good thing), the word bene is used as a noun to refer to the forces of good or as a noun meaning an item of merchandise. Additionally, buono is an adjective used to describe a noun, whereas bene is an adverb used to describe an action.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective must change to agree with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Use buono for masculine singular nouns, buona for feminine singular nouns, buoni for masculine plural nouns and buone for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈbwɔ.no/.
Did you know?
- If you call a person un uomo buono, you are complimenting their soul and ethics, whereas calling them un uomo bravo would instead praise their skill or competence.
- In a grocery store or pharmacy, a buono is not an adjective but a noun meaning a 'voucher' or 'coupon'.
- The word buono is a direct linguistic descendant of the Latin bonus, making it a close relative of the English word 'bonus'.
Examples in context
- Il PC è buono?Is the PC good?This sentence is useful for asking about the quality of a PC using buono.Tatoeba #13790284 by Guybrush88, translation #12966397 by terrywallwork
- È buono con me.He is good to me.This sentence shows how to describe a person being kind to someone using buono.Tatoeba #3378468 by Guybrush88, translation #3378262 by _undertoad
- Il cibo è buono.The food is good.This sentence is used to describe food as being good using buono.Tatoeba #819800 by Guybrush88, translation #2002528 by bichodebola
- 717 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are at a cafe tasting some cake.
- SofiaQuesto dolce è davvero buono!This dessert is really good!
- FrancescoSì, è molto dolce.Yes, it is very sweet.
- SofiaIl sapore è proprio buono.The flavor is truly good.
- FrancescoSono contento che ti piaccia, Sofia.I am glad you like it, Sofia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good” translations and entries buono, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buono, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
