18 Alternatives To Say Bueno In Spanish With Examples

First of all… there’s nothing wrong or incorrect with the word bueno in Spanish.

The problem is that many Spanish students often use it incorrectly or excessively when there are many other options.

Spring Spanish teacher Paulísima will teach you everything you need to use the word bueno in Spanish like an expert, and also what you need to know to stop saying bueno when you can say many other words – to be precise, we share 18 alternatives for bueno in Spanish.

1. Common uses of bueno in Spanish

Let’s look at several contexts in which the word “bueno” is used.

To refer to someone’s character

When we talk about someone being a good person.

In other words, he’s a person with high values, who has goodness in his heart.

As alternatives to “bueno“, we have words like:

• bondadoso (kind)
• cordial (cordial)
• noble (noble)
• simpático (sympathetic)
• justo (fair)
• compasivo (compassionate)
• amable (kind)

Let’s see them all in action:

To say that something tastes good

• Estos tacos están muy buenos. [These tacos are very good.]

Attention, when we use bueno to say delicious, we use the verb ESTAR:

To avoid always saying bueno, we can say: deliciosas, muy buenos or sabrosos.

To say that someone “is hot”

In Mexico, and many other Spanish-speaking parts of the world, we also use the word bueno to say that someone “is hot”.

But attention, we have to use the appropriate verb.

Look:

Sexy and sensual are words you can use to say “bueno”.

To say that someone is competent at what they do

Another sense of the word bueno is being competent at what one does.

Other words to say bueno in this sense are:

• capaz (capable)
• excelente (excellent)
• sobresaliente (outstanding)
• talentos (talented)

and if you want to be a bit daring, you can say:

• “chingón”

In Mexico, it means someoen very competent.

Let’s see these Spanish expressions in context:

To express that something is convenient or useful for someone

Bueno in Spanish is also used to express that something is convenient or useful for someone.

For example:

2. Common mistakes with bueno in Spanish

Now let’s look at some of the most common mistakes people make when using the word “bueno”.

• Mi español es no bueno. [My Spanish is not good.]
• Correct: Mi español no es bueno. [My Spanish is not good.]

Here the error is in the order. It should be: No es bueno.

• Ser grosero con los meseros es no bueno. [Being rude to waiters is not good.]
• Correct: Ser grosero con los meseros no está bien. [Being rude to waiters is not okay.]

“Bien” is the twin of “bueno“, there are many rules about it… but it’s better to learn that when you want to say something: “is not ok”, say the chunk: No está bien.

• Este café es no bueno. [This coffee is not good.]
• Correct: Este café no está bueno. [This coffee is not good.]
• Or better: Este café no sabe bien. [This coffee doesn’t taste good.]

When we use “bueno” to talk about taste, we can say:

Or we can also say:

• El libro Sapiens es un bueno libro. [The book Sapiens is a good book.]
• Correct: El libro Sapiens es un buen libro. [The book Sapiens is a good book.]

Here the word bueno transforms into BUEN when it comes before a masculine noun.

And finally, here’s the sentence for you using bueno in Spanish:

Tú eres un buen estudiante de español. Gracias por ver Spring Spanish que es un muy buen canal para aprender. [You are a good Spanish student. Thank you for watching Spring Spanish, which is a very good channel for learning.]

3. In these cases, do say bueno in Spanish

Actor 1
¿Bueno? [Hello?]

Actor 2
Buenas tardes, ¿tengo el gusto con la señorita Paulísima? [Good afternoon, am I speaking with miss Paulísima?]

Actor 1
Sí, ella habla. ¿Quién habla? [Yes, she’s speaking. Who’s calling?]

Actor 2
Le estamos llamando del banco… [We’re calling from the bank…]

Actor 1
(Hangs up)

Actor 2
Bueno… ni hablar. Siguiente. [Well then… no point. Next.]

Fun fact: In Mexico, we answer the phone by saying “bueno“. Apparently, a long time ago, when an operator was needed to connect people, the operator had to verify that the connection attempt had been good.

At the end of the dialogue, the operator says: “Bueno, ni hablar.” With a tone of resignation and disappointment. This is a very common way to use the word “bueno“. It’s like saying: “Oh, well.”

You can also say bueno to express acceptance, but it’s not an acceptance with much enthusiasm. It’s an acceptance that implies that an agreement was reached, that there were concessions, “compromise” then.

Actor 1
Vamos a ver la película de Beyoncé. [Let’s go watch Beyoncé’s movie.]

Actor 2
¡Ay, no! Mejor veamos la de The Marvels. [Oh, no! Let’s better watch The Marvels.]

Actor 1
No, la de Beyoncé. Dicen que está muy buena. Ándale, vamos. Yo te invito. [No, Beyoncé’s. They say it’s very good. Come on, let’s go. It’s on me.]

Actor 2
Bueno. Así, sí. [Alright. Then, yes.]

Using “BUENO” in these ways will make you sound very natural. If you want more natural phrases to use in Spanish right away, download our Essential Spanish Chunking Kit. It’s a free resource with which you’ll learn a ton of chunks, phrases or word combinations that native Spanish speakers use all the time and can do wonders for your fluency.

✔️ Cheat Sheet with 54 essential Spanish Chunks you’ll hear and use yourself in ANY Spanish conversation (and example sentences). Taken from our YouTube Teacher’s most popular videos!

✔️ 2 Bonus Cheat Sheets with Travel Chunks and Dating/Relationship Chunks

✔️ A Spanish Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the Spanish from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE Spanish Chunking Kit

4. Chunks with bueno in Spanish

Now let’s look at four wonderful chunks that use the word “Bueno”.

Actor 1
Amiga, ¿cómo estás? ¿Qué has hecho? [Girlfriend, how are you? What have you been up to?]

Actor 2
¡Ay, amiga! ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte! A ver, a ver, ¿qué te cuento? Bueno pues… He estado aprendiendo a tocar la guitarra últimamente. [Oh, girlfriend! Long time no see! Let’s see, let’s see, what can I tell you? Well so… I have been learning to play the guitar lately.]

Actor 1
¡Qué bueno! ¡Siempre habías querido! ¿Y cómo vas? ¿Es fácil? [That’s good! You’ve always wanted to! And how’s it going? Is it easy?]

Actor 2
La verdad no. Es súper difícil. Lo bueno es que encontré un profesor buenísimo. Es súper paciente conmigo. [Actually not. It’s really hard. The good thing is that I found a teacher that’s really good. He’s very patient with me.]

Actor 1
¡Qué bueno! Ser buena para la música es algo que siempre habías querido desarrollar. [That’s good! Being good with music is something that you’ve always wanted to develop.]

Actor 2
¡Sí! ¿Y tú cómo vas con tus clases de canto? [Yes! And how are your singing classes going?]

Actor 1
Hoy tuve mi última clase… y bueno, en una semana tenemos una presentación. No soy buena todavía, pero ya muchísimo mejor que antes. [I had my last class today… and well, in a week we have a presentation. I’m not good yet, but I’m so much better than before.]

Actor 2
Claro que sí eres buena para el canto, amiga. Yo te he escuchado. A mí me fascina tu voz. [Of course you are good for singing, girlfriend. I have heard you. I love your voice.]

Actor 1
Lo bueno es que aunque no sea buena, ya tengo una fan. [The good thing is that even if I am not good, I already have a fan.]

If you liked these phrases that will make you sound super natural, check out the next video where we teach you 8 other phrases that you’ll need all the time when speaking Spanish: