bien

/bjen/
well

Hablo español bien.

I speak Spanish well.


informal

In good health or condition

¿Cómo estás? — Estoy bien, gracias.

How are you? — I'm fine, thanks.

general

Correctly or satisfactorily

Lo hiciste muy bien.

You did it very well.

informal

Very much; a lot

Tengo bien hambre.

I'm very hungry.

Used colloquially to intensify adjectives or verbs.

Law
formal/literary

Property or possession

Los bienes de la familia.

The family's property.

Related Phrases

Pro Tip

Adverb vs. Adjective

Use 'bien' (adverb) to describe how something is done (e.g., 'canta bien'). Use 'bueno' (adjective) to describe a noun (e.g., 'un día bueno').

Gold Rule

Positioning

As an adverb, 'bien' usually follows the verb it modifies (e.g., 'come bien'). As a noun, it precedes the noun (e.g., 'los bienes raíces').

Word Origin

From Latin bene (well), via Old Spanish bien.

Usage Notes

As an adverb, 'bien' modifies verbs/adjectives (e.g., 'hablar bien'). As a noun, it refers to goods/property (plural 'bienes'). In some regions, 'bien' can mean 'very' (e.g., 'bien caro').

Word Breakdown

bien
well
root
Diccionario Español-Inglés