muy bien
/ˌmui ˈbjen/
The English phrase 'just fine' is translated into Spanish as muy bien.
The phrase muy bien is used to indicate that a person is doing well or that a specific situation is satisfactory.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmui ˈbjen/
Did you know?
- While muy bien is a standard way to say 'very well', using it with a specific descending intonation can transform the phrase into a sarcastic remark meaning 'great, just great'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, answering muy bien to a greeting is often a social formality rather than a literal report of one's actual state of being.
- The word muy descends from the Latin multum, which is the root of the English word 'multitude'.
Examples in context
- Estoy bien. ¿Y tú?I'm just fine. And you?
- ¿Cómo estás? Muy bien, gracias.How are you? Just fine, thank you.
- Todo está muy bien en la casa.Everything is just fine in the house.
- Ahora me siento muy bien.I feel just fine now.
- El examen me salió muy bien.The exam went just fine for me.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are catching up at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Cómo estás, Alejandro?How are you, Alejandro?
- AlejandroEstoy muy bien, gracias.I am just fine, thank you.
- LucíaMe alegro de que estés muy bien.I am glad that you are doing just fine.
- Alejandro¿Y tú, Lucía?And you, Lucía?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry muy bien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, muy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
