Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| bom | /ˈbõ/ (Brazil) /ˈbõ/ (Portugal) |
| agradável | /a.ɡɾaˈda.vew/ (Brazil) /ɐ.ɡɾɐˈda.vɛl/ (Portugal) |
The word bom is used to mean both 'nice' and 'good'. When you want to describe something that is specifically pleasant or agreeable to the senses or temperament, you may also use agradável. To express relief or happiness regarding good news, you can use the idiomatic expression Que bom! (How nice!/That's good!).
Which one should you use?
While bom can mean 'good' in a general sense, agradável is more specific to describing things that are pleasant or agreeable. Additionally, related interjections like ótimo or beleza can be used to signify approval.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The slang term Maneiro is used mainly in Brazil.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bom must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It becomes boa for feminine nouns, bons for masculine plural nouns and boas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbõ/
When do people say it?
The phrase Que bom! is a common way for speakers to respond to good news to show they are happy or relieved.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'nice' to describe a person's character, using bom to describe a person in Portuguese can sometimes sound as if you are judging their moral quality or ability rather than their personality.
- In Brazil, the slang term maneiro is often used to mean 'nice' or 'cool'. It literally translates to 'handled' or 'skillful', stemming from the idea of something being well-made.
- The word beleza, which literally means 'beauty', is frequently used as a slang response to mean 'nice', 'okay' or 'everything is fine'.
Examples in context
- Que bom te ver.Nice to see you.This sentence shows how to use bom to express pleasure in seeing someone.Tatoeba #786851 by lenon_perez, translation #32688 by CK
- Foi bom te ver.It was nice to see you.This sentence uses bom to describe a past pleasant encounter.Tatoeba #11141683 by MrJuice, translation #8944383 by CK
- Será um bom dia.It'll be a nice day.This sentence uses bom to predict a nice day.Tatoeba #5049074 by Ricardo14, translation #5000872 by CK
- O seu trabalho é muito bom.Your work is very nice.
- Foi agradável conhecê-lo(a).It was nice meeting you.
- A festa estava encantadora.The party was lovely.
- A nova música da banda é muito legal.The band's new song is really nice.
- O filme que assistimos ontem foi muito bacana.The movie we watched yesterday was really nice.
- A festa na praia foi muito maneira.The beach party was really nice.
- A viagem foi muito boa.The trip was very nice.
- O cenário é belíssimo.The scenery is beautiful.
- A festa foi legal demais!The party was so nice!
- A pizza estava muito gostosa.The pizza was really tasty.
- 148 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Rodrigo are talking about a new neighbor.
- CamilaO novo vizinho é muito bom.The new neighbor is very nice.
- RodrigoEle parece ser simpático.He seems to be friendly.
- CamilaSim, ele é um bom homem.Yes, he is a nice man.
- RodrigoQue bom que ele se mudou para cá.It's nice that he moved here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nice” translations and entries bom, agradável, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
