él es bueno
/el es bweno/from spelling rules
él es bueno is the Spanish way to say "he is good".
This phrase describes a person who has a virtuous character or is kind.
Which one should you use?
When you want to emphasize that a person is exceptionally good, you can use the intensified form él es buenísimo. If you want to say he is great or awesome, you can use él es genial.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the phrase él es copado is used to mean "he is cool" or "he is great".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use bien (an adverb) instead of bueno (an adjective) when describing a person's character.
Did you know?
- While él es bueno describes a virtuous person, saying él está bueno shifts the meaning to describe someone who is physically attractive.
- The Spanish word bueno is a linguistic sibling to the English word 'bonus', as both were inherited from the Latin word bonus.
- In certain Spanish-speaking regions, calling someone bueno can imply they are 'hot' or sexually attractive even without changing the verb.
Examples in context
- Él es bueno cantando.He is good at singing.This sentence shows how to use él es bueno to describe talent in singing.Tatoeba #1296059 by marcelostockle, translation #294489 by CK
- Él es bueno para cocinar.He is good at cooking.This sentence shows how to use él es bueno to describe talent in cooking.Tatoeba #1211391 by marcelostockle, translation #304748 by CK
- Oí que él es bueno en el mahjong.I hear he is good at mahjong.This sentence shows how to use él es bueno to describe talent in mahjong.Tatoeba #554173 by Leono, translation #303840 by CK
- Él es bueno en su trabajo.He is good at his job.
- ¡Él es buenísimo en el fútbol!He is amazing at soccer!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new neighbor.
- Alejandro¿Qué tal el nuevo vecino?How is the new neighbor?
- LucíaÉl es bueno y muy amable.He is good and very kind.
- AlejandroMe alegra mucho oír eso.I am very happy to hear that.
- LucíaSí, es un gran hombre.Yes, he is a great man.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bueno, es, él, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
