está tan bueno
/esta tan bweno/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "he is so fine" is expressed as está tan bueno.
This is an informal way to say that a man is very physically attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "he is so good", but in this context, bueno refers to physical attractiveness rather than moral character.
Which one should you use?
Other variations exist for different levels of intensity. For example, Él está buenísimo means "He is super hot," Él está cañón means "He is drop-dead gorgeous," and the colloquial Él está buenorro translates to "He is so sexy."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
está tan bueno is highly informal and carries a strong sexual undertone, making it inappropriate for polite or professional company. For formal situations, you should use Él es sumamente guapo (He is extremely handsome) or Él es un hombre de una gran belleza (He is a man of great beauty).
Did you know?
- While está tan bueno describes a person's attractiveness, the exact same words are used to describe delicious food. To avoid confusion, the context usually depends on whether you are looking at a menu or a person.
- In some Latin American countries, saying está cañón can mean someone is gorgeous, but in other contexts, it can mean a situation is extremely difficult or 'tough'.
- If you say él es bueno instead of él está bueno, you are describing his personality or moral character rather than his physical looks.
Examples in context
- Mi amigo es muy atractivo, siempre llama la atención.My friend is very attractive, he always turns heads.
- Ese actor está tan bueno.That actor is so fine.
- ¡Mira, tu nuevo vecino está tan bueno!Look, your new neighbor is so fine!
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a photo in a magazine.
- María¡Dios mío, este modelo está tan bueno!My God, this model is so fine!
- DanielEs verdad, es muy guapo.It's true, he is very handsome.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿no te parece increíble?Daniel, don't you think it's incredible?
- DanielSí, tiene mucho estilo.Yes, he has a lot of style.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
