buona idea
In Italian, "good idea" is buona idea.
The phrase is used to show that you think a suggestion or plan is a good one. If you want to express more enthusiasm or give stronger praise, you can use ottima idea to mean "excellent idea!"
Which one should you use?
While buona idea means "good idea", you may also encounter the alternative bella idea, which is used to express that an idea is not just good, but great or lovely.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective buona must be in the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun idea.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using buon idea, as this is grammatically incorrect because idea is a feminine noun starting with a vowel.
Did you know?
- While bella idea often means 'great idea', it can be used sarcastically in Italy to mean the exact opposite, effectively saying 'what a terrible idea'.
- The word idea is actually a distant relative of the English word 'idiot', as both trace back to the Greek concept of an individual's unique perception or way of seeing.
- If you find an idea particularly brilliant, you can call it un'idea geniale, which emphasizes the person's innate talent or 'genius'.
Examples in context
- È una buona idea!That's a good idea!This sentence is useful for expressing excitement about a suggestion with buona idea.Tatoeba #377565 by Pharamp, translation #1568 by CK
- È una buona idea.It's a good idea.This sentence is useful for stating that something is a good idea using buona idea.Tatoeba #2715937 by Guybrush88, translation #3334010 by CK
- È una buona idea?Is that a good idea?This sentence is useful for asking a question about whether something is a good idea using buona idea.Tatoeba #6837854 by Guybrush88, translation #1886916 by CK
- È una buona ideaThis is a good idea
- La sua proposta mi sembra ottimaYour proposal seems excellent to me
- È una bella ideaIt's a nice idea
- 158 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- MartinaOrdiniamo una pizza stasera?Shall we order a pizza tonight?
- FrancescoSì, è una buona idea!Yes, that's a good idea!
- MartinaPrendiamo anche un dolce?Shall we get a dessert too?
- FrancescoCertamente, ottima scelta.Certainly, great choice.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idea, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
