muito bom
/ˈmũj̃.tu ˈbõ/word by word
The English phrase "very good" is translated into Portuguese as muito bom.
muito bom is used to describe something or someone of high quality or to express strong approval.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of muito, meaning much or very and bom, meaning good.
Which one should you use?
While muito bom is used to describe the quality of a thing or person as an adjective, muito bem is used to describe how an action is performed or to express approval of a situation as an adverb.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bom must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use muito boa for feminine singular nouns, muito bons for masculine or mixed-gender plural nouns and muito boas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈmũj̃.tu ˈbõ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word muito is related to a word meaning 'crumbled' in ancient Proto-Indo-European, suggesting a very long and strange evolutionary path for a word that now means 'much'.
- In Brazil, saying muito bom with a specific descending intonation can be used sarcastically to mean the exact opposite of 'very good'.
- In Brazil, people often use the word legal to express that something is 'very good' or 'cool' in casual conversation, which is a much more common social way to show approval than the formal muito bom.
Examples in context
- Tom é muito bom.Tom is very good.This sentence demonstrates the use of muito bom to describe a person.Tatoeba #4837469 by Ricardo14, translation #2273596 by CK
- Não é muito bom.It's not very good.This sentence shows how to use muito bom in a negative context.Tatoeba #7525228 by Ricardo14, translation #4495025 by CK
- Isso é muito bom.It's very good.This sentence illustrates using muito bom to describe an object or concept.Tatoeba #1104864 by alexmarcelo, translation #37872 by CK
- Seu trabalho foi muito bom. Parabéns!Your work was very good. Congratulations!
- Esse bolo está sensacional! Você é um ótimo chef!This cake is sensational! You are a great chef!
- 191 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felipe and Camila are eating at a restaurant.
- FelipeCamila, este jantar está muito bom.Camila, this dinner is very good.
- CamilaSim, o tempero está incrível.Yes, the seasoning is incredible.
- FelipeVocê escolheu um restaurante muito bom.You chose a very good restaurant.
- CamilaFico feliz que você tenha gostado.I am glad you liked it.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (muito, bom) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bom, muito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
