234 - "Bon" vs. "Bien": Which One to Choose?

 
 

In this lesson, you'll learn the difference between "bon" and "bien" in French, and a simple trick to choose the right one every time. 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Links & Cheat Sheet:

Transcript

Hello everyone! Bonjour tout le monde. 🖤

Welcome back to the French Made Easy podcast. This is episode 234, numéro deux cent trente-quatre!

Today, we're looking at two little words that confuse almost every French learner: bon and bien. They both mean "good" in English, but they are not interchangeable. Bon is usually an adjective, and bien is usually an adverb. There are some exceptions, that's why I say usually." I'll explain exactly what that means later, but by the end of this short lesson, you'll know which one to choose.

As always, if you're new here, welcome! Make sure to grab your lesson's cheat sheet from the episode notes so you can follow along and see how the words are written. And after the lesson, head over to the French Made Easy Exercise Library to practise what you've learned today. All the links are in the episode notes. It's free.

Alright, let's get into it.

BON:

Bon is generally an adjective.

An adjective is a word that describes a noun: it can describe a thing, a person, or even an idea. Adjectives are words like big, red or good are adjectives.

Bon means "good." And in French, adjectives change to match the noun that they describe. So bon changes too:

  • bon (masculine singular)

  • bonne (feminine singular)

  • bons (masculine plural)

  • bonnes (feminine plural)

Example sentences:

  • Mon voisin fait un très bon pain aux noix. 🥖 (My neighbour makes very good walnut bread.)

  • Réviser le soir, avant de dormir, c'est une bonne idée. 💡 (Studying in the evening, before bed, is a good idea.)

  • Ces fraises sont bonnes, mais un peu chères. 🍓 (These strawberries are good, but a bit expensive.)

  • Nous avons de bons souvenirs de nos vacances en Bretagne. 🌊 (We have good memories of our holiday in Brittany.)

BIEN: 

Bien is generally an adverb.

An adverb is a word that can describe a verb, an action. It tells you how someone does something. In English, adverbs are words like quickly, slowly or well.

Bien often means "well." But here's the good news: adverbs don't change in French. So when bien is used as an adverb, it never changes!

Repeat after me:

  • Tu cuisines bien, tu sais ? 🍳 (You cook well, you know?)

  • Je ne vois pas bien sans mes lunettes. 👓 (I can't see well without my glasses.)

  • Elle chante très bien… mais seulement sous la douche. 🚿 (She sings very well… but only in the shower.)

  • Mon chat comprend très bien le mot « croquettes ». 🐱 (My cat understands the word "kibble" very well.)

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I've got a little trick to help you choose. Ask yourself: would I say "well" in English?

  • If yes, you'll usually use bien.

  • If you're describing something or someone as "good," you'll often use bon.

But remember, there are exceptions! But that should do the trick. 

Let me give you some examples side by side. 

  • C'est un bon cuisinier. 👨‍🍳 (He's a good cook.)

  • Il cuisine bien. (He cooks well.)

  • Elle est bonne en maths. ➗ (She's good at maths.)

  • Elle comprend bien les maths. (She understands maths well.)

So remember: "well" usually means bien, and when you want to describe a good thing or person, you'll often use bon.

QUICK RECAP

  • Bon = good. It's generally an adjective: it describes a noun and changes: bon, bonne, bons, bonnes.

  • Bien = well. It's generally an adverb: it often describes an action and it never changes.

  • Ask yourself: would I say "well" in English? Then you'll usually use bien.

Et voilà! That's the end of today's short and sweet lesson. Don't forget to grab your cheat sheet and head over to the French Made Easy Exercise Library to practise. All the links are in the episode notes.

À bientôt, bye! 🖤

Mathilde KienComment