Italian · Emotions & Descriptions
"Good" in Italian: buono/a
buono/a
Good in Italian is buono for masculine singular and buona for feminine. Before some masculine nouns it shortens to buon, as in buon viaggio. For skills, Italians often prefer bravo/a instead of buono.
Praising food
Questo panino è davvero buono!Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce buono/a
Say it
BWOH-noh
/ˈbwɔ.no/
Buono is BWOH-noh with stress on BWOH. Buona is BWOH-nah. The u glides quickly into the o.
"Good" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| buono / buona | good Agrees with the noun: pane buono, pasta buona. | Agrees with the noun: pane buono, pasta buona. |
| buon | good (short form) Before many masculine nouns: buon giorno, buon viaggio. | Before many masculine nouns: buon giorno, buon viaggio. |
| bravo/a | good at something; well done For people and performance, not food taste. | For people and performance, not food taste. |
| buonissimo/a | really good, delicious Strong praise for food especially. | Strong praise for food especially. |
How to use buono/a in real life
- 1Praising food
Questo panino è davvero buono!
This sandwich is really good!
Buono agrees with masculine panino.
- 2Before a trip
Buona fortuna per il viaggio!
Good luck for the trip!
Buona agrees with feminine fortuna.
- 3Describing a day
Oggi è una buona giornata per camminare.
Today is a good day for walking.
Buona agrees with feminine giornata.
Mistakes English speakers make with buono/a
Incorrect: La pizza è buono.
Correct: La pizza è buona.
Match gender: pizza is feminine, so buona.
Incorrect: Sei buono in matematica!
Correct: Sei bravo in matematica!
For skill, use bravo/a. Buono describing a person often means kind or morally good.
Good to know
Food praise leans on buono and buonissimo. Complimenting a person's work leans on bravo. Greeting compounds like buongiorno and buonasera are written as one word in modern Italian.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Trying street food in Palermo
ChatPal
Assaggia questo: è buono, vedrai.
Try this: it's good, you'll see.
You
Mmm, è buonissimo! Che spezie usano?
Mmm, it's really good! What spices do they use?
ChatPal
Non so. Comunque è un buon prezzo per così tanto.
Don't know. Anyway it's a good price for so much.
You
Vero. Buona idea fermarsi qui!
True. Good idea to stop here!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Good" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Good" in Italian
When do I use buon instead of buono?
Buon appears before many masculine singular nouns: buon viaggio, buon appetito, buon giorno (in the greeting buongiorno).
How do feminine forms work?
Use buona before feminine nouns: buona sera becomes buonasera as a greeting, buona fortuna for good luck.
Is bravo the same as buono?
No. Bravo praises skill or performance. Buono often praises taste, quality, or kindness.
How do I say very good?
Molto buono or the stronger buonissimo. For people doing well, bravissimo.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- How to Learn Italian Fast and Speak with ConfidenceLearn how to learn Italian with a clear roadmap, speaking-first tactics and daily habits that turn basics into real conversation confidence.
- Translate Hello in Italian with ConfidenceLearn how to translate hello in Italian with context, pronunciation, and practice prompts. Master ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, and salve for real conversations.
