Knowing how to say “good” in Italian can be incredibly useful in countless situations, whether describing an amazing meal, nailing the perfect compliment or discussing moral values. However, there isn’t just one word for it. Italians use different words depending on the context and nuance. In this guide, I’ll break down all the ways to say good in Italian so you’ll always sound natural. Ready? Let’s dive in and make sure your Italian is as buono (good) as it gets!
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Table to Contents
Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide. Click on any title to jump to each section.
- Mastering the concept of GOOD in Italian
- 1. Buono (adjective)
- Italian sayings with “buono”
- 2. Buono (noun)
- 3. Bene (adjective)
- 4. Bene (noun)
- 5. Bravo
- 6. Sano
- 7. Competente / Capace
Mastering the concept of GOOD in Italian
In Italian, the word “good” can be translated in several ways, depending on its grammatical role—as an adjective, adverb, or even a noun. Let’s see some examples:
- Questa frittata è molto buona – This omelet is very good → Here, buona is an adjective that describes the quality of the frittata (omelette).
- Elisa gioca bene a tennis – Elisa plays tennis well → Here, bene is an adverb describing how good she is at this sport.
- Fai emergere il buono che è in te – Bring out the good that is in you → Here, buono is a noun representing a quality.
See how many different forms “good” can take in Italian? This can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re just starting to learn Italian, but understanding the different contexts in which these words are used will greatly enhance your comprehension and fluency.
Top 7 ways to say GOOD in Italian
In this section, we’ll explore the most common ways to express the concept of “good” in Italian, with lots of examples to help you understand its usage better. Let’s dive in!
1. Buono (adjective)
Buono in Italian is an adjective used to describe the quality of just about anything in Italian: people, places, things, or even abstract concepts! As an adjective, it adjusts its ending based on the gender and number of the noun it refers to.
Usage:
To describe how delicious flavors and smells are
- Questa è buona, assaggiala! – This is good, try it!
- Questa torta ha un profumo davvero buono – This cake has a really good smell.
To express positive attributes about someone or something
- È una buona macchina, dovresti farci un pensierino – It’s a good car, you should consider it.
- Silvia è una persona di animo buono e gentile – Silvia is a kind and good-hearted person.
To talk about the usefulness or effectiveness of something
- Queste pillole sono molto buone per il tuo mal di stomaco – These pills are very good for your stomach ache.
- Conosci dei buoni rimedi per eliminare la muffa in casa? – Do you know any good remedies to eliminate mold in the house?
The position of buono (good) in a sentence can change its meaning:
- Erica è una buona studentessa – Erica is a good student → Here, buona means she’s clever.
- Erica è una studentessa buona – Erica is a good student → Here, buona means she’s kind.
Its form may also change depending on the position:
Buono becomes buon when placed before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel or a consonant followed by l, r, or a vowel. For instance:
- Il medico mi ha prescritto un buon antibiotico – The doctor prescribed me a good antibiotic.
- Oggi sono proprio di buon umore! – Today I’m in a really good mood.
Buono becomes buon’ when placed before a feminine singular noun beginning with a vowel, for example:
- Mi sveglio sempre di buon’ora – I always wake up early.
- Se ti sentisse la buon’anima di tuo padre! – If only your blessed father could hear you!
Italian sayings with “buono”
In Italian, the adjective buono appears in many expressions to convey good wishes for various occasions. Simply combine buon (for masculine words) or buona (for feminine words) with the event or time you’re referring to and you have the perfect wish. For example, to wish someone to have fun in Italian, you can say Buon divertimento!
Here’s a list of common expressions:
Celebrations
- Buon anno – Happy New Year
- Buon anniversario – Happy anniversary
- Buon compleanno – Happy birthday
- Buon onomastico – Happy name day
- Buone feste – Happy holidays
- Buon Natale/Pasqua – Merry Christmas/Easter
- Buona festa della mamma/del papà – Happy Mother’s/Father’s Day
Times of the day
- Buona giornata – Have a great day
- Buon giorno – Good morning
- Buon pomeriggio – Good afternoon
- Buona sera – Good evening
- Buona serata – Have a great evening
- Buona notte – Good night
Other wishes
- Buon tutto – Best of everything
- Buona domenica – Happy Sunday
- Buon fine settimana – Have a great weekend
- Buon inizio settimana – Have a good start to your week
- Buon viaggio – Have a safe trip
- Buon volo – Have a good flight
- Buone vacanze – Happy holidays
- Buon vento – Fair winds (used to wish sailors good sailing conditions)
- Buon lavoro – Have a nice/good day at work, Good luck with your work
- Buon riposo – Sleep well
- Buon appetito – Enjoy your food
- Buona visione – Enjoy the show
- Buona lettura – Enjoy your reading
- Buona lezione – Have a good lesson
- Buona passeggiata – Have a nice walk
- Buona permanenza – Enjoy your stay
- Buon proseguimento – Enjoy the rest of…
To learn more about this useful adjective, check out my guide to the use of buono in Italian and its difference with bene, bravo and bello.
2. Buono (noun)
Buono can also be used as a noun when “good” is intended with the meaning of “goodness”. For example:
- Cerchiamo di salvare il buono che c’è stato tra noi – Let’s try to preserve the goodness that existed between us.
Additionally, buono as a noun can refer to a voucher or a financial bond in Italian:
- Ultimamente i buoni del Tesoro offrono rendimenti interessanti – Lately, Treasury bonds offer attractive yields.
- Tra i benefit aziendali ci sono anche i buoni pasto – Company benefits also include meal vouchers.
3. Bene (adjective)
In Italian, when “good” is used in the sense of “well” (as in, how something is done), the correct word to use is bene. Bene is an adverb and typically follows the verb it refers to.
Usage:
To describe how an action is performed:
- Andrea suona davvero bene il pianoforte – Andrea plays the piano really well.
- Qui cucinano bene la carne – They cook meat well here.
To talk about things that have a positive impact:
- Ridere fa bene allo spirito – Laughing is good for the soul.
- La luce fa bene a quelle piante – Light is good for those plants.
To talk about well-being, often when responding to Italian greetings:
- Ciao ragazzi, come va? Tutto bene, grazie! – Hi guys, how’s it going? All good, thanks!
- Come stanno le tue ragazze? Molto bene, grazie! – How are your girls? Very well, thank you!
4. Bene (noun)
Bene can also function as a noun when “good” indicates something that is in someone’s best interest or contributes to common well-being. For example:
- Devi continuare a studiare, è per il tuo bene – You must keep studying, it’s for your own good.
- Il bene di questa comunità è ciò che mi sta più a cuore – The good of this community is what I care about most.
Additionally, when “good” is used in the plural to refer to physical items or commodities, then bene becomes beni:
- È stata introdotta una nuova tassa sui beni di lusso – A new tax has been introduced on luxury goods.
- Stiamo raccogliendo beni di prima necessità per i bisognosi – We are collecting essential goods for those in need.
For more insights into the uses of bene, read my comprehensive guide on using Bene, Bravo, Bello, Buono in Italian.
5. Bravo
When “good” is used to describe someone’s skill or ability, the appropriate word in Italian is bravo (for men) or brava (for women). Bravo is an adjective, so its ending changes depending on the gender and number of the noun it describes.
Usage:
To talk about someone’s competence in a particular area; it’s typically followed by the prepositions in (in), con (with), or a (at):
- Serena è brava in latino – Serena is good in Latin.
- Andrea è molto bravo a fare il pane – Andrea is very good at making bread.
To describe someone’s good nature:
- Tua figlia Angelica è proprio una brava ragazza – Your daughter Angelica is really a good girl.
- Sono brave persone, non farebbero male a una mosca – They are good people, they wouldn’t harm a fly.
To congratulate someone for they successes or accomplishments:
- Bravi, avete vinto! – Congratulations, you won!
- Bravo Enzo, hai passato anche questo esame! – Well done Enzo, you passed this exam too!
For a deeper understanding of how to use bravo in Italian, take a look at my guide on Bene, Bravo, Bello, Buono in Italian.
6. Sano
The Italian adjective sano means “healthy” and it’s the ideal choice when talking about something being “good” in the sense of physical health or proper functioning. For instance, you can use sano when referring to a body part that is healthy, or in a broader sense, to describe anything that works well because it is in good condition.
For example:
- Riesco a leggere con l’occhio sano – I manage to read with my good eye.
- Gli impianti sono sani, non capisco da dove viene la perdita – The systems are in good condition; I don’t understand where the leak is coming from.
7. Competente / Capace
When discussing how good a professional is, the Italian words competente (competent) and capace (capable) are frequently used to mean ‘good’. Both terms emphasize a person’s ability to perform their job well, often exceeding expectations.
For example:
- Luigi è un meccanico molto competente e attento al più piccolo dettaglio – Luigi is a very good mechanic who pays attention to the smallest details.
- Ho finalmente trovato un medico capace e umano – I’ve finally found a good and compassionate doctor.
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