How To Say Bien In French

Learning a new language can be exciting, and one of the first things you might want to know is how to say common words. In French, the word “bien” is important and used often. It means “good,” “well,” or “fine” in English, depending on the situation. It can describe how something is done, or it can show approval. Understanding how to use “bien” properly is a great way to start building your French vocabulary.

In this article, we will explore different ways to say “bien” in French, how to respond when someone uses it, and some easy exercises to help you practice. Whether you’re learning French for travel, school, or fun, knowing how to use “bien” will help you communicate better in many everyday situations. Let’s get started!

Ways to Say “Bien” in French

Here are several ways to say “bien” in French, along with their meanings and how to use them in sentences. The word “bien” can change depending on the context, so it’s helpful to learn these variations.

1. Bien (pronounced: byan)

• Meaning: Good, well, fine
• In a sentence:
  • J’ai bien mangé. (I ate well.)
  • Ça va bien. (It’s going well.)

2. Très bien (pronounced: trey byan)

• Meaning: Very good, very well
• In a sentence:
  • Tu as fait un travail très bien. (You did a very good job.)
  • Elle chante très bien. (She sings very well.)

3. Plutôt bien (pronounced: ploo-toh byan)

• Meaning: Rather good, pretty good
• In a sentence:
  • Ça va plutôt bien aujourd’hui. (It’s going pretty well today.)
  • Il va plutôt bien en classe. (He’s doing pretty well in class.)

4. Bien sûr (pronounced: byan syr)

• Meaning: Of course
• In a sentence:
  • Bien sûr, je vais venir à la fête. (Of course, I’ll come to the party.)
  • Bien sûr, je peux t’aider. (Of course, I can help you.)

5. Pas mal (pronounced: pah mal)

• Meaning: Not bad, quite good
• In a sentence:
  • Comment ça va? – Pas mal. (How’s it going? – Not bad.)
  • Le film était pas mal. (The movie was quite good.)

6. Bien entendu (pronounced: byan ahn-tan-doo)

• Meaning: Of course, naturally
• In a sentence:
  • Bien entendu, je vais te prêter mon livre. (Of course, I will lend you my book.)
  • Bien entendu, nous viendrons demain. (Naturally, we will come tomorrow.)

7. Comme il faut (pronounced: kohm eel foh)

• Meaning: Properly, as it should be
• In a sentence:
  • Il a tout fait comme il faut. (He did everything properly.)
  • Elle a arrangé les choses comme il faut. (She arranged things as they should be.)

8. Ça roule (pronounced: sah rool)

• Meaning: It’s going well, it’s all good (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • Comment ça va? – Ça roule. (How’s it going? – It’s going well.)
  • Tout roule pour le projet. (Everything is going well for the project.)

9. Correct (pronounced: koh-rekt)

• Meaning: Correct, good (often used for approval)
• In a sentence:
  • C’est correct, ton devoir? (Is your homework good?)
  • Ce que tu as fait est correct. (What you did is good.)

10. Super (pronounced: soo-per)

• Meaning: Great, awesome (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • C’était super! (It was great!)
  • Elle a fait un super travail. (She did a great job.)

11. Parfait (pronounced: par-fay)

• Meaning: Perfect
• In a sentence:
  • Tout est parfait. (Everything is perfect.)
  • Ton idée est parfaite. (Your idea is perfect.)

12. Bien fait (pronounced: byan fay)

• Meaning: Well done
• In a sentence:
  • Bien fait! Tu as réussi! (Well done! You succeeded!)
  • C’est bien fait, continue! (It’s well done, keep going!)

13. Génial (pronounced: jeh-nee-al)

• Meaning: Great, brilliant (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • C’est génial! (It’s awesome!)
  • Ton projet est génial! (Your project is brilliant!)

14. Très chouette (pronounced: trey shwett)

• Meaning: Very cool, very nice (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • Ce film est très chouette. (This movie is very cool.)
  • Les vacances étaient très chouettes. (The vacation was really nice.)

15. Ça va bien (pronounced: sah vah byan)

• Meaning: It’s going well
• In a sentence:
  • Ça va bien, merci. (It’s going well, thank you.)
  • Tout va bien ici. (Everything’s fine here.)

16. Excellent (pronounced: ex-sel-lon)

• Meaning: Excellent, very good
• In a sentence:
  • C’est un travail excellent. (It’s excellent work.)
  • Votre présentation était excellente. (Your presentation was excellent.)

17. Formidable (pronounced: for-mee-dah-bl)

• Meaning: Wonderful, amazing
• In a sentence:
  • Le concert était formidable! (The concert was amazing!)
  • C’est une idée formidable. (It’s a wonderful idea.)

18. Parfaitement (pronounced: par-fayt-mahn)

• Meaning: Perfectly
• In a sentence:
  • Elle a parfaitement compris la leçon. (She understood the lesson perfectly.)
  • Il a parfaitement résolu le problème. (He solved the problem perfectly.)

19. Ça marche (pronounced: sah marsh)

• Meaning: It works, it’s fine (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • Tu viens à la fête? – Ça marche! (You’re coming to the party? – It’s fine!)
  • Ça marche pour moi. (It works for me.)

20. Impeccable (pronounced: im-peh-kah-bl)

• Meaning: Impeccable, flawless
• In a sentence:
  • Ton comportement est impeccable. (Your behavior is impeccable.)
  • Le travail est impeccable. (The work is flawless.)

21. Admirable (pronounced: ad-mee-rah-bl)

• Meaning: Admirable, worthy of admiration
• In a sentence:
  • C’est une performance admirable. (It’s an admirable performance.)
  • Son courage est admirable. (His courage is admirable.)

22. Exceptionnel (pronounced: ex-sep-syon-el)

• Meaning: Exceptional
• In a sentence:
  • Ce film était exceptionnel. (This movie was exceptional.)
  • Ton attitude est exceptionnelle. (Your attitude is exceptional.)

23. Extra (pronounced: ex-trah)

• Meaning: Great, extra good (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • C’était extra, ce spectacle! (That show was great!)
  • Ce plat est extra! (This dish is amazing!)

24. Magnifique (pronounced: mag-nee-feek)

• Meaning: Magnificent, wonderful
• In a sentence:
  • C’est un magnifique tableau. (It’s a magnificent painting.)
  • La vue est magnifique. (The view is magnificent.)

25. Admiré (pronounced: ad-mee-ray)

• Meaning: Praised, admired
• In a sentence:
  • Il a été admiré pour son courage. (He was admired for his courage.)
  • Elle a été admirée par tout le monde. (She was admired by everyone.)

26. Bien élevé (pronounced: byan el-ev-ay)

• Meaning: Well-behaved, polite
• In a sentence:
  • Cet enfant est bien élevé. (This child is well-behaved.)
  • Il est toujours bien élevé. (He is always polite.)

27. Bon (pronounced: bohn)

• Meaning: Good
• In a sentence:
  • C’est un bon film. (It’s a good movie.)
  • Elle a fait un bon travail. (She did a good job.)

28. Joyeux (pronounced: joy-uh)

• Meaning: Joyful, happy
• In a sentence:
  • Je me sens joyeux aujourd’hui. (I feel happy today.)
  • Il est toujours joyeux. (He is always happy.)

29. Chouette (pronounced: shwet)

• Meaning: Cool, nice (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • Cette idée est chouette. (This idea is cool.)
  • C’est une chouette journée. (It’s a nice day.)

30. Propre (pronounced: proh-pruh)

• Meaning: Clean, neat
• In a sentence:
  • Ton bureau est propre. (Your desk is clean.)
  • Elle garde sa chambre propre. (She keeps her room neat.)

31. Délicieux (pronounced: deh-lee-syu)

• Meaning: Delicious
• In a sentence:
  • Ce gâteau est délicieux! (This cake is delicious!)
  • Le dîner était délicieux. (The dinner was delicious.)

32. Sublime (pronounced: sub-leem)

• Meaning: Sublime, exquisite
• In a sentence:
  • La vue du sommet est sublime. (The view from the top is exquisite.)
  • Cette musique est sublime. (This music is sublime.)

33. Merveilleux (pronounced: mehr-veh-yuh)

• Meaning: Wonderful, marvelous
• In a sentence:
  • Il a fait un travail merveilleux. (He did a marvelous job.)
  • C’est un merveilleux film. (It’s a wonderful movie.)

34. Top (pronounced: top)

• Meaning: Top, great (informal)
• In a sentence:
  • C’est top! (It’s great!)
  • Ton idée est top! (Your idea is great!)

35. Beau (pronounced: boh)

• Meaning: Beautiful, good (for masculine nouns)
• In a sentence:
  • Ce paysage est beau. (This landscape is beautiful.)
  • C’est un beau geste. (It’s a good gesture.)

36. Bien fait (pronounced: byan fay)

• Meaning: Well-done, good job
• In a sentence:
  • Bien fait pour ton projet! (Good job on your project!)
  • Tu as bien fait. (You did well.)

37. Réussi (pronounced: ray-oo-see)

• Meaning: Successful, well done
• In a sentence:
  • Son examen a été réussi. (His exam was successful.)
  • Le projet a été bien réussi. (The project was well done.)

38. Excellente (pronounced: ex-sel-lont)

• Meaning: Excellent, outstanding (feminine form)
• In a sentence:
  • Elle a une excellente mémoire. (She has excellent memory.)
  • Cette solution est excellente. (This solution is excellent.)

39. À la hauteur (pronounced: ah lah oh-teur)

• Meaning: Up to the standard, at the height
• In a sentence:
  • Ton travail est à la hauteur. (Your work is up to the standard.)
  • Il a répondu à la hauteur des attentes. (He met the expectations.)

40. Bien pris (pronounced: byan pree)

• Meaning: Well received, well accepted
• In a sentence:
  • Ton idée a été bien prise. (Your idea was well received.)
  • La présentation a été bien prise par le public. (The presentation was well received by the audience.)

Other Ways to Say “Bien” in French

Here’s a table with other ways to say “bien” in French. Each expression has a different nuance, and it’s useful to know how to use them in different contexts.

Other Ways to Say	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentences
Bien joué	byan zhoo-ay	Well played, good job	Bien joué, tu as gagné! (Well played, you won!)
Bien fait	byan fay	Well done	Bien fait, tu as tout compris. (Well done, you understood everything.)
Très bon	trey bohn	Very good	Ce repas est très bon. (This meal is very good.)
Ça va	sah vah	It’s going well	Ça va, merci. (It’s going well, thank you.)
Comme il faut	kohm eel foh	Properly, as it should be	Il a tout fait comme il faut. (He did everything properly.)
Bien sûr	byan syr	Of course	Bien sûr, je viens à la réunion. (Of course, I’m coming to the meeting.)
Tout va bien	too vah byan	Everything’s fine	Tout va bien, ne t’inquiète pas. (Everything’s fine, don’t worry.)
Correctement	koh-rekt-mohn	Correctly	Il a répondu correctement à toutes les questions. (He answered all the questions correctly.)
Impeccablement	im-pek-kah-bluh-mahn	Impeccably	Elle a travaillé impeccablement. (She worked impeccably.)
Bien entendu	byan ahn-tahn-doo	Of course, naturally	Bien entendu, je vais t’aider. (Of course, I will help you.)
De manière parfaite	duh ma-nee-air par-fayt	In a perfect way	Elle a expliqué de manière parfaite. (She explained it in a perfect way.)
Sans problème	sahn proh-blehm	No problem	Je vais t’aider sans problème. (I will help you with no problem.)
Fort bien	for byan	Very well	Il a joué très fort bien au football. (He played very well in football.)
Super	soo-per	Great, super (informal)	C’est super cool! (It’s super cool!)
Nickel	nee-kel	Great, perfect (informal)	C’est nickel, tout est prêt. (It’s perfect, everything is ready.)
Parfaitement bien	par-fayt-mahn byan	Perfectly good	Elle a parfaitement bien chanté. (She sang perfectly well.)
Aussi bien	oh-see byan	Just as good	Il joue aussi bien que toi. (He plays just as well as you.)
Top	top	Great, awesome (informal)	C’est un top film. (It’s an awesome movie.)
Excellente	ex-sel-lont	Excellent (feminine)	Ton travail est excellente. (Your work is excellent.)
Merveilleusement	mehr-veh-yoo-luh-mahn	Wonderfully	Elle a chanté merveilleusement. (She sang wonderfully.)

Response to “Bien” in French

When someone says “bien” or uses one of its variations in French, there are several ways you can respond, depending on the situation. Here are a few common responses:

1. Ça va bien, merci. (It’s going well, thank you.)

• Context: This is a polite response when someone asks you how you’re doing or how things are going. It’s a basic and friendly reply to show that everything is fine.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment ça va? (How’s it going?)
  • Person 2: Ça va bien, merci. Et toi? (It’s going well, thank you. And you?)

2. Ça va super! (It’s going great!)

• Context: This response is more enthusiastic than just saying “Ça va bien.” It’s perfect for when you’re feeling very positive or when things are going really well.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment tu te sens? (How do you feel?)
  • Person 2: Ça va super! Je me sens génial! (It’s going great! I feel awesome!)

3. Tout va bien. (Everything is fine.)

• Context: Use this phrase when you want to confirm that everything is okay. It’s often used when someone is checking in on you or your progress.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Tout va bien dans ton projet? (Is everything okay with your project?)
  • Person 2: Oui, tout va bien. (Yes, everything’s fine.)

4. Bien sûr! (Of course!)

• Context: This response is used when you want to agree enthusiastically with what someone has said. It’s a very common phrase when confirming something in a positive way.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Tu veux venir à ma fête? (Do you want to come to my party?)
  • Person 2: Bien sûr! (Of course!)

5. C’est parfait! (It’s perfect!)

• Context: You can respond with “C’est parfait!” when someone tells you they did something well, or when you want to show you are completely satisfied with the result.
• Example:
  • Person 1: J’ai terminé le travail. (I finished the work.)
  • Person 2: C’est parfait! (It’s perfect!)

6. Pas de problème! (No problem!)

• Context: This is a casual, informal response that’s often used to indicate that there are no issues or that something is easy.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Merci de m’avoir aidé! (Thank you for helping me!)
  • Person 2: Pas de problème! (No problem!)

7. Tout est sous contrôle. (Everything is under control.)

• Context: Use this response to show confidence that things are going well, especially in a situation where you want to reassure others that things are in order.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment ça se passe à l’école? (How’s it going at school?)
  • Person 2: Tout est sous contrôle. (Everything is under control.)

8. Merci, c’était gentil. (Thank you, that was kind.)

• Context: This is a polite response you can use when someone compliments you or tells you you’ve done something well.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Tu as fait un super travail! (You did a great job!)
  • Person 2: Merci, c’était gentil. (Thank you, that was kind.)

9. C’est bien comme ça. (It’s good like that.)

• Context: You can use this response when you are satisfied with how something is going or when you approve of a decision.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Tu veux changer ça? (Do you want to change this?)
  • Person 2: Non, c’est bien comme ça. (No, it’s good like that.)

10. Très bien, merci! (Very well, thank you!)

• Context: This is another positive response you can use, especially when things are going really well and you want to express that.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment se passe ton examen? (How is your exam going?)
  • Person 2: Très bien, merci! (Very well, thank you!)

11. Ça va tranquille. (It’s going calmly.)

• Context: This is a casual response, often used when things are going smoothly and without stress.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment ça va? (How’s it going?)
  • Person 2: Ça va tranquille. (It’s going calmly.)

12. Je me sens bien. (I feel good.)

• Context: This is a straightforward response when you’re asked how you feel, and you want to say that everything is fine.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment tu te sens aujourd’hui? (How do you feel today?)
  • Person 2: Je me sens bien. (I feel good.)

13. Ça ne peut pas aller mieux. (It couldn’t be better.)

• Context: This is a very positive response, often used when things are going exceptionally well.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment va ton week-end? (How is your weekend?)
  • Person 2: Ça ne peut pas aller mieux. (It couldn’t be better.)

14. Tout est parfait. (Everything is perfect.)

• Context: A response to show that everything is excellent or exactly how you want it to be.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment va le projet? (How’s the project going?)
  • Person 2: Tout est parfait. (Everything is perfect.)

15. Ça va très bien. (It’s going very well.)

• Context: A more emphatic version of “Ça va bien.” You use it to express things are going great.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment va ta journée? (How’s your day?)
  • Person 2: Ça va très bien. (It’s going very well.)

16. Je suis content(e). (I’m happy.)

• Context: A response showing that you’re feeling happy or pleased. You can use “content” if you’re a man or “contente” if you’re a woman.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment tu te sens après l’examen? (How do you feel after the exam?)
  • Person 2: Je suis content(e). (I’m happy.)

17. C’est super cool! (It’s super cool!)

• Context: An informal and enthusiastic response, commonly used among friends or younger people.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Le film était bien? (Was the movie good?)
  • Person 2: C’est super cool! (It’s super cool!)

18. C’est nickel. (It’s perfect.)

• Context: Used informally to say that everything is perfect or flawless.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Tu as terminé ton devoir? (Did you finish your homework?)
  • Person 2: C’est nickel! (It’s perfect!)

19. C’est pas mal. (It’s not bad.)

• Context: A casual response when things aren’t great, but they aren’t bad either.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment c’était le film? (How was the movie?)
  • Person 2: C’est pas mal. (It’s not bad.)

20. Tout va pour le mieux. (Everything is going for the best.)

• Context: A positive response when you want to say that everything is going very well.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment ça se passe au travail? (How’s work going?)
  • Person 2: Tout va pour le mieux. (Everything is going for the best.)

21. Je suis satisfait(e). (I am satisfied.)

• Context: A formal response, often used in work or professional settings to express contentment with something.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment s’est passée la réunion? (How was the meeting?)
  • Person 2: Je suis satisfait(e). (I am satisfied.)

22. Tout roule. (Everything’s rolling, it’s all good.)

• Context: Informal, and it’s often used to say that everything is going smoothly.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Ça va à l’école? (How’s school going?)
  • Person 2: Tout roule. (Everything’s rolling.)

23. Comme d’habitude. (As usual.)

• Context: A casual response that shows that things are going the same way as they usually do.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment ça va ce matin? (How’s it going this morning?)
  • Person 2: Comme d’habitude. (As usual.)

24. Ça va mieux maintenant. (It’s better now.)

• Context: You can use this phrase when things were not going well earlier but have improved.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment vas-tu? (How are you?)
  • Person 2: Ça va mieux maintenant. (It’s better now.)

25. C’est formidable! (It’s wonderful!)

• Context: This is an enthusiastic and positive response when you want to express how great something is.
• Example:
  • Person 1: Comment s’est passée ta journée? (How was your day?)
  • Person 2: C’est formidable! (It’s wonderful!)

Exercise to Practice Success with “Bien”

Now that you’ve learned different ways to say “bien” in French and how to respond, let’s practice using these expressions! Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences using the ways to say “bien” in French. Try to fill in each blank with the correct phrase. After the exercise, I’ll provide the answers with explanations!

Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences

1. ______, je vais à l’école. (I’m doing well, I’m going to school.)
2. Elle chante ______ à chaque concert. (She sings very well at every concert.)
3. Je suis ______, merci! (I’m feeling good, thank you!)
4. Le film était ______, je l’ai adoré. (The movie was great, I loved it.)
5. Tu as fait un travail ______ sur ce projet. (You did a good job on this project.)
6. Ça va _______, tout est sous contrôle. (It’s going smoothly, everything is under control.)
7. Il a joué ______ pendant le match. (He played well during the match.)
8. Merci pour ton aide, ______! (Thank you for your help, of course!)
9. Tout va ______ ici. (Everything is fine here.)
10. C’est ______! Il n’y a rien à changer. (It’s perfect! There’s nothing to change.)
11. La nourriture était ______, je vais revenir ici. (The food was delicious, I will come back here.)
12. Comment va ton projet? – ______, merci. (How’s your project? – Very well, thank you.)

Answers and Explanations

1. Ça va bien, je vais à l’école.
   • Meaning: “I’m doing well.” A common response when explaining how things are going.
2. Elle chante très bien à chaque concert.
   • Meaning: “She sings very well.” This shows how well someone performs at concerts.
3. Je suis bien, merci!
   • Meaning: “I’m feeling good.” You can say this when someone asks about your well-being.
4. Le film était super bien, je l’ai adoré.
   • Meaning: “The movie was great, I loved it.” An enthusiastic response to something enjoyable.
5. Tu as fait un travail bien sur ce projet.
   • Meaning: “You did a good job on this project.” A positive compliment for someone’s work.
6. Ça va bien, tout est sous contrôle.
   • Meaning: “It’s going smoothly, everything is under control.” A confident response to show things are fine.
7. Il a joué bien pendant le match.
   • Meaning: “He played well during the match.” Describing someone’s good performance.
8. Merci pour ton aide, bien sûr!
   • Meaning: “Thank you for your help, of course!” A friendly way to respond when confirming something.
9. Tout va bien ici.
   • Meaning: “Everything is fine here.” A calm, reassuring response.
10. C’est parfait! Il n’y a rien à changer.
    • Meaning: “It’s perfect! There’s nothing to change.” A response showing satisfaction with something.
11. La nourriture était délicieuse, je vais revenir ici.
    • Meaning: “The food was delicious, I will come back here.” A response praising the food.
12. Comment va ton projet? – Ça va très bien, merci.
    • Meaning: “How’s your project? – Very well, thank you.” An enthusiastic and positive response about the project’s progress.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to say “bien” in French and its various forms. Whether you want to say something is “good,” “well,” or “perfect,” there are many ways to use this important word in different contexts. By learning these phrases, you can sound more natural and confident when speaking French. We also provided responses and exercises to help you practice what you’ve learned.

Understanding the different ways to say “bien” helps you express yourself more clearly and accurately. Whether you’re answering a question about how you’re doing, commenting on something, or responding to a compliment, knowing these phrases will make your French sound more fluent. Keep practicing, and you’ll be able to use these expressions in real-life situations with ease!