me va bien
/me ba bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am doing good" can be expressed in Spanish as me va bien.
A response used to say that one's life is going well when asked how they are.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "it goes well to me".
Which one should you use?
While estoy bien refers to your immediate state or mood, me va bien refers more broadly to how your life or circumstances are progressing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb used is ir (to go) in the third-person singular, where the subject is the situation or life in general, not the person speaking.
Did you know?
- If you are agreeing to a proposed plan or time, you can use me va bien to mean 'that works for me'.
- The word bien is related to the Latin bene, which is why English words like 'beneficial' or 'benign' feel so familiar to a Spanish student.
- Depending on the region, a person might answer me va bien and then immediately follow it with a long list of problems as a form of irony.
Examples in context
- Estoy bien, gracias. Acabo de llegar de unas vacaciones maravillosasI am fine, thank you. I just came back from a wonderful vacation
- A mí me va bien.I am doing good.
- Todo me va bien en el trabajo.Everything is going well for me at work.
- Me va bien con mi nuevo curso.I am doing good with my new course.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía meet for coffee after a long time.
- Javier¿Cómo has estado, Sofía?How have you been, Sofia?
- SofíaMuy bien, ¡me va bien en todo!Very well, I am doing good in everything!
- Javier¡Qué bueno! Me alegro mucho.That's great! I am very happy for you.
- Sofía¡Gracias, Javier!Thank you, Javier!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, me, va, CC BY-SA 4.0.
