#134: Using bello, buono, bravo and bene
As a learner of Italian, you probably are familiar with these four words: bello, buono, bravo and bene. It’s important to understand their function and uses in Italian as it can be very easy to misuse one or more of these adjective/adverbs when describing people and things.
Study the rules below regarding the use of these four very important Italian descriptors:
- Bello
–Bello is an adjective. When it precedes a noun, it changes form like the definite article:
bel libro
bello sport
bella casa
bell’albergo
bei giardini
begli studenti
belle studentesse
–When bello is used on its own (for example, as a predicate adjective and not modifying directly a noun), it is considered ‘regular’ and agrees in gender and number like other adjectives: bello, bella, belli, belle
Lui è bello.
He is handsome.
I bambini sono belli.
The children are beautiful.
–Bello can mean:- beautiful, handsome, good-looking
Lei è una bella donna.
She is a beautiful woman. - nice, lovely (when describing objects/things, used to intensify their quality)
Che bello!
How lovely! - pleasant, fine (often used to describe the weather)
Oggi c’è bel tempo!
Today there is fine weather.
- beautiful, handsome, good-looking
- Buono
–Buono is an adjective. When it precedes a noun, it changes form like the indefinite article (un, una). With plural nouns, it is ‘regular’:
buon lavoro
buona macchina
buono studente
buoni lavori
buone macchine
buoni studenti
–When buono is used on its own (like as a predicate adjective), it is regular: buono, buona, buoni, buone
Gli spaghetti sono buoni.
The spaghetti is good.
Questa mela è buona. Che fresca!
This apple is good. How fresh!
–Buono can mean:- good, kind: when referring to people
Lui è una buona persona.
He is a good person. - honest, respectable, virtuous
La sua famiglia è buona.
His family is respectable. - good, fine: when referring to the quality of something
La torta era buona! Vorrei la ricetta.
The cake was good! I would like the recipe.
Buon viaggio!
Have a good trip!
Buon appetito!
Enjoy your meal!
Buon compleanno!
Happy Birthday! - good, kind: when referring to people
- Bravo
–Bravo, as an adjective, is only used to describe living things. It is never used to describe objects or things.
–Bravo is used to express positive qualities of a person and can have the following meanings:- clever, skillful, rich in experience
- good, reliable, honest
– To be skilled in something, use the expression: bravo + in + noun
Sono bravo in inglese.
I’m good at English.
– Bravo + a + infinitive can also be used to express a skill in something:
Sono bravo a parlare inglese.
I’m good at speaking English. - clever, skillful, rich in experience
- Bene
–Bene can be an adverb. Adverbs, when modifying adjectives, precede the adjective. Adverbs, when modifying verbs, follow the verb:
Lei scrive bene in inglese.
She writes well in English.
Sto bene.
I’m fine.
–Bene can precede adjectives and has a similar meaning to the adverb, molto (notice how bene drops the final ‘e’):
Il film era ben fatto!
The film was well done.
Il cane è ben stanco.
The dog is very tired.
–As an adjective, bene means ‘upper-class’ when referring to people and ‘high end’ when referring to places:
La vedi sempre ai locali bene della città.
You always see her at the high end (upper-class) places in town.
–Bene can mean: well or fine
**** Remember that bene, when used as an adverb, is invariable! ****
–Bene can be used as an interjection to means: Good! Keep it up!
Bene, fai un bel lavoro!
Keep it up, you are doing a fine job!
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