Sí, muy bien
/ˈsi ˈmwi ˈbjen/word by word
The English phrase "yes, very good" can be translated into Spanish as Sí, muy bien.
Sí, muy bien is commonly used to express agreement and approval of an action or a state of being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Sí (yes), muy (very) and bien (well).
Which one should you use?
While muy bien means "very well" (adverbial), muy bueno means "very good" (adjectival). muy bien is the standard response to a question about how someone is doing or how a task was performed.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying muy bien with a specific descending intonation can actually be used sarcastically to mean the exact opposite.
- The word muy comes from the Latin 'multum', which is the same root used for the English word 'multitude'.
- In certain Latin American countries, a repetitive muy bien, muy bien is often used by teachers to encourage students, acting more like 'keep going' than just 'very good'.
Examples in context
- ¿Está de acuerdo con nuestras propuestas? – Por supuesto, excelente.Are you in agreement with our proposals? – Of course, excellent.
- Sí, muy bien, gracias.Yes, very good, thank you.
Example conversation
Lucía asks Daniel how his day is going.
- Lucía¿Cómo vas hoy, Daniel?How are you doing today, Daniel?
- DanielSí, muy bien, ¿y tú?Yes, very good, and you?
- LucíaTodo bien por aquí también.Everything is good over here too.
- DanielMe alegro mucho, Lucía.I am very glad, Lucía.
