très bien
/tʁɛ bjɛ̃/
The English phrase "very well" is translated into French as très bien.
As an interjection, très bien is often used to signal acceptance of a situation or to conclude a discussion. It can also function as an adverb meaning "very well."
Meaning: interjection (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of très (very) and bien (well).
Which one should you use?
While très bien can mean "very well" as an adverb, when used as an interjection to agree with a suggestion, it functions similarly to "all right" or "very well" in English.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʁɛ bjɛ̃/
Did you know?
- In French schools, très bien is a formal grade known as a 'mention', awarded to students who achieve an exceptional score on their Baccalauréat exam.
- The word très shares an ancient root with the English word 'through', originating from the Proto-Indo-European 'terh₂-' meaning 'over' or 'throughout'.
- While très bien means 'very well', using it to agree to a request can sometimes sound slightly brusque or overly formal, almost like a reluctant 'fine' in English.
Examples in context
- Je vais très bien.I'm doing very well.This sentence is useful for showing how to use très bien to describe how one is doing.Tatoeba #459452 by sacredceltic, translation #4771733 by erinspice
- Il joue très bien.He plays very well.This sentence is useful for showing how to use très bien to describe how someone plays.Tatoeba #837704 by sacredceltic, translation #291858 by CH
- Il chante très bien.He sings very well.This sentence is useful for showing how to use très bien to describe how someone sings.Tatoeba #3278124 by sicerabibax, translation #1198914 by etoile
- Je comprends parfaitement la situation.I understand the situation very well.
- Tu as bien travaillé !You have worked well!
- 300 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are agreeing on a meeting time.
- GabrielOn se voit à midi ?Shall we meet at noon?
- EmmaTrès bien, c'est parfait.Very well, that's perfect.
- GabrielJe t'attends devant le café.I'll wait for you in front of the cafe.
- EmmaD'accord, à tout à l'heure !Okay, see you soon!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry très bien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, très, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
