¿está bien?
The English phrase "is that okay?" is translated into Spanish as ¿está bien?
Use ¿está bien? to ask if a situation, arrangement or state is acceptable.
Which one should you use?
Use ¿está bien? to ask if a situation, arrangement or state is acceptable, whereas ¿es bueno? would ask if something is inherently good or virtuous.
When do people say it?
A standard way to respond affirmatively to this question is to repeat the phrase as a statement: Está bien.
Did you know?
- While está bien is a standard answer, Spanish speakers often respond to ¿está bien? with dale, which literally means 'give it' but functions as a slang 'go for it' in Argentina and Uruguay.
- In Spain, you might hear está bien used to describe a person's physical attractiveness, meaning they are 'good-looking' rather than just 'okay' or 'acceptable'.
- The word bien in ¿está bien? shares a distant ancestor with the Latin word 'duenos', which is the root of the English word 'bonus'.
Examples in context
- Nos vemos a las ocho, ¿está bien?We'll see each other at eight, is that okay?
- Si cambio de asiento, ¿está bien?If I change seats, is that okay?
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are deciding on a place to eat.
- MateoPodemos comer en el restaurante italiano, ¿está bien?We can eat at the Italian restaurant, is that okay?
- ElenaSí, Mateo, me parece muy bien.Yes, Mateo, that sounds very good to me.
- Mateo¿Está bien si voy a buscar una mesa?Is it okay if I go look for a table?
- ElenaPerfecto, yo te espero aquí.Perfect, I will wait for you here.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
