no muy bien
/no mui bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'not well' is translated into Spanish as no muy bien.
This phrase is used to describe a state of poor health or a negative feeling regarding one's current condition.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing your own state of health, you must use the verb estar (to be) rather than ser.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying no soy bien to mean you are not well. English speakers often mistakenly use ser instead of estar, but no soy bien is grammatically incorrect for describing health.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone asks ¿Cómo estás? and you reply no muy bien, it is often seen as an invitation to share the specific reason behind your malaise.
- The word muy is derived from the Latin multum, meaning 'much', which is also the root of the English word 'multitude'.
- The Spanish word bien is derived from an archaic Latin form duenos, which also served as the ancestor for the Latin word bonus.
Examples in context
- No me encuentro bien, creo que necesito descansarI'm not feeling well, I think I need to rest
- No me siento bien, tengo dolor de cabezaI don't feel well, I have a headache
- No estoy en mi mejor momento, he estado lidiando con problemas estomacales últimamenteI'm not at my best, I have been dealing with stomach issues lately
- No me siento muy bien, creo que voy a quedarme en casa hoyI don't feel very well, I think I'm going to stay home today
- Me encuentro mal, tengo mucho dolor de gargantaI don't feel well, I have a sore throat
- Estoy pachucho/a, me duele todo el cuerpoI'm not feeling well, my whole body hurts
- No me encuentro bien, tengo fiebre y dolor muscularI'm not feeling well, I have a fever and muscle pain
- ¿Cómo estás? No muy bien, me duele la cabeza.How are you? Not very well, my head hurts.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena meet at the office.
- Javier¿Cómo estás, Elena?How are you, Elena?
- ElenaLa verdad, me siento no muy bien.To be honest, I feel not very well.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al médico?Do you want to go to the doctor?
- ElenaSí, creo que es lo mejor.Yes, I think that is for the best.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, muy, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
