bien, ¿verdad?
/ˈbjen beɾˈda/word by word
The English phrase "good right" can be translated into Spanish as bien, ¿verdad?
This phrase is used to confirm that something is correct or satisfactory.
Which one should you use?
While bien, ¿verdad? functions more as a conversational tag, adding the verb está makes the phrase a complete sentence meaning está bien, ¿verdad? ("it is okay/good, right?").
How does it change in a sentence?
Replacing ¿verdad? with ¿no? is a common way to express the same tag question "right?" in Spanish, as in bien, ¿no?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbjen beɾˈda/
Did you know?
- The word verdad is a direct descendant of the Latin 'veritas', the same root that gives us the name for the Roman goddess of truth.
- The word bien shares an ancient root with the English word 'bonus', as both descend from the Proto-Italic word *dwenos.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using the tag ¿verdad? is not just about checking facts, but serves as a way to build 'rapport' or social connection with the listener.
Examples in context
- ¡Es correcto!It's correct!
- ¡Claro que sí!Of course!
- ¡Sí, está bien!Yes, that's fine!
- Todo salió bien, ¿verdad?Everything went well, right?
- La comida está bien, ¿verdad?The food is good, right?
Example conversation
María and Javier are checking a shared document.
- MaríaYa terminé el texto. Está bien, ¿verdad?I finished the text. It's good, right?
- JavierSí, María, se ve perfecto.Yes, María, it looks perfect.
- MaríaEntonces lo puedo enviar ahora.Then I can send it now.
- JavierAdelante, Javier está de acuerdo.Go ahead, Javier agrees.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bien, verdad) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, verdad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
