esto no está bien
/esto no esta bjen/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for 'this is not good' is esto no está bien.
esto no está bien is used to express disapproval of a situation, an action or a set of circumstances that is perceived as morally wrong or incorrect.
Which one should you use?
Use esto no está bien to mean 'this is not right' or 'this is not okay' when referring to a situation or behavior. In contrast, use esto no es bueno to mean 'this is not a good thing' when referring to the quality or inherent nature of something.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, simply saying esto no está bien while shaking your head or making a specific clicking sound with your tongue can add a layer of social disapproval that words alone might miss.
- Because esto no está bien uses the verb estar, it implies the situation is temporary or a result of a specific action, rather than a permanent quality.
- The word bien is so versatile that it can be used as a filler word or an intensifier, similar to how English speakers use 'well' or 'very'.
Examples in context
- Esto no está bien para la salud.This is not good for your health.
- Lo siento, pero esto no está bien.I am sorry, but this is not good.
- Esto no está bien, hay que arreglarlo.This is not good, it must be fixed.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are looking at a broken appliance.
- Daniel¿Ves cómo hace ese ruido?Do you see how it makes that noise?
- SofíaSí, esto no está bien.Yes, this is not good.
- DanielDebemos llamar a un técnico.We should call a technician.
- SofíaTienes razón, Daniel.You are right, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
