va bene
/ˌva‿bˈbɛ.ne/
In Italian, the phrase "ok" can be expressed as va bene. Wiktionary also lists OK and d'accordo.
Meaning: acknowledgement or acceptance (intj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| va bene | /ˌva‿bˈbɛ.ne/ /ˈva ˈbe.ne/ (Italy, Northern) |
| OK | /oˈkɛ.i/ |
| d'accordo |
These terms are used to express acknowledgement or acceptance. You may also use the informal phrase tutto bene to express that everything is fine or to confirm agreement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase va bene literally means "it goes well". It is constructed using the third-person singular form of the verb andare (to go) combined with the adjective bene (well).
Which one should you use?
The loanword OK is widely used and understood in Italy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
OK is an informal way to say ok used among friends and young people. Similarly, va bene is used in informal conversations. OK is more informal than va bene.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌva‿bˈbɛ.ne/. The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The phrase d'accordo is closely related to the Italian word for a musical 'chord' (accordo), as both imply a state of harmony.
- In rapid conversation, Italians often shorten va bene to a quick va be' by dropping the final syllable.
- In some contexts, va bene can be used sarcastically to mean 'fine, have it your way' when the speaker is actually annoyed.
Examples in context
- Tom è OK ora.Tom is OK now.This sentence uses OK to describe someone's current state.Tatoeba #4617586 by mark_townsend, translation #4530164 by CK
- È tutto OK qui?Is everything OK here?This sentence uses OK to ask if a situation is alright.Tatoeba #5016907 by Guybrush88, translation #33616 by CK
- Va bene se vado?Is it OK if I go?This sentence uses va bene to ask for permission or agreement.Tatoeba #6696908 by Guybrush88, translation #6694839 by CK
- Possiamo andare al cinema stasera? Person B: Va bene!Can we go to the movies tonight? Person B: Ok!
- Abbiamo un accordo? Person B: D'accordo!Do we have an agreement? Person B: Agreed!
- 332 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Lorenzo are deciding where to eat dinner.
- ChiaraAndiamo in pizzeria stasera?Shall we go to the pizzeria tonight?
- LorenzoVa bene, mi piace l'idea.Ok, I like the idea.
- ChiaraCi vediamo lì alle otto allora.We'll see each other there at eight then.
- LorenzoVa bene, a dopo!Ok, see you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ok” translations and entries va bene, OK, d'accordo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
