Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| OK | /ˌɔˈkej/ (Brazil) /ˌɔˈkɐj/ (Portugal) /ˌɔˈkej/ (Northern, Portugal) /ˌɔˈkej/ (Central, Portugal) /ˌɔˈke/ (Portugal, Southern) |
| tudo bem | /ˈtu.du ˈbẽj̃/ (Brazil) /ˈtu.du ˈbɐ̃j̃/ (Portugal) /ˈtu.du ˈbɐ̃j̃/ (Portugal, Southern) |
| tá | /ˈta/ (Brazil) /ˈta/ (Portugal) |
| certo | /ˈsɛʁ.tu/ (Brazil) /ˈsɛɾ.tu/ (São Paulo) /ˈsɛʁ.tu/ (Rio de Janeiro) /ˈsɛɻ.tu/ (Caipira) /ˈsɛɾ.tu/ (Portugal) |
These forms are used to acknowledge information, express acceptance or provide endorsement and approval. While OK can be used as an adjective meaning 'all right' or 'permitted', certo and tá are often used as nouns to signify endorsement or approval. Certo specifically functions to confirm that something is correct, much like saying 'right' or 'correct' in English.
Which one should you use?
Tudo bem is a highly versatile neutral phrase that can be used as both a question ('Is everything okay?') and a response ('Everything is fine'). In contrast, OK is often used as an adjective to describe something as being permitted or all right. Certo is primarily used to confirm the correctness of a fact or to express agreement, whereas tá is a quick way to signal agreement or to tag a question at the end of a sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Tá is a highly colloquial and informal contraction used for quick agreement. Similarly, tá bem is a common and colloquial way to say 'OK' among friends, serving as an abbreviation of está bem. For an informal way to say 'Everything is cool', younger generations may use tudo fixe, while tudo certo is an informal phrase meaning 'Everything is right' or 'Everything is in order'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Algarve region, the phrase tudo bem is often transformed into tudo bom, meaning 'Everything is good' or 'Everything is fine'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Tá is an informal contraction of the verb está used in speech to confirm a state or to mean 'okay'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of tudo bem is /ˈtu.du ˈbẽj̃/.
When do people say it?
When wishing someone well, you might say tudo de bom!, which means 'All the best!' To express gratitude, you can use obrigado/a, meaning 'Thank you'.
Did you know?
- The word certo comes from the Latin certus, which originally meant 'sifted' or 'discerned', as in separating the grain from the chaff.
- In Brazil, the phrase tudo bem is frequently used as both the greeting and the response, meaning a conversation can start with Tudo bem? and be answered with Tudo bem.
- The word fixe is a popular way for young people in Portugal to say something is 'cool' or 'OK', but it is rarely used by speakers in Brazil.
Examples in context
- Eu não ligo, tá?I don't care, OK?This sentence shows how to use tá to tag a question at the end of a sentence.Tatoeba #2077723 by alexmarcelo, translation #2079046 by CK
- Esta cor está ok?Is this color OK?This sentence uses OK as an adjective to ask if a color is acceptable.Tatoeba #11002125 by omniglotman, translation #6049365 by CK
- Vamos de táxi, ok?Let's go by taxi, OK?This sentence uses OK to confirm a plan or suggestion.Tatoeba #1488562 by brauliobezerra, translation #1290698 by CK
- Sim, está bem.Yes, that's okay.
- Vamos sair esta noite, tá bem?We're going out tonight, is that okay with you?
- 177 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana are agreeing on a meeting time.
- RodrigoPodemos nos encontrar às sete?Can we meet at seven?
- JulianaTudo bem, nos vemos lá.OK, I'll see you there.
- RodrigoVou avisar o resto do grupo.I will let the rest of the group know.
- JulianaTudo bem, Rodrigo.OK, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ok” translations and entries OK, tudo bem, tá, certo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries OK, bem, certo, tudo, tá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
