These are very important words, simple words, and yet sometimes they can create confusion among Italian-language students. Students in class often ask when to use bravo versus buono because in English both words mean good.
Let’s begin with BELLO: it’s an adjective that expresses a positive judgment, it means: handsome,nice and beautiful in English.
Venezie e’ bella Venice is beautiful
Marco e’ un bell’uomo Marco is a handsome man
e’ un bello spettacolo It’s a beautiful show
We have: Bello (singular masculine) Belli (plural masculine) Bella (feminine singular) Belle (Feminine plural)
We use BELLO also use it to intensify, to emphasize an idea/concept:
mi faccio una bella tazza di caffe’ – I’m going to make myself a nice cup of coffee
ti preparo una bella bistecca – I’ll cook you a nice steak
faccio una bella doccia-I’m going to take a nice shower
BUONO is an adjective and it means Good in English: Usually the content, of the quality of something is good:
We have: Buono (singular masculine) Buoni (plural masculine) Buona (feminine singular) Buone (Feminine plural)
e’ un uomo buono (with a good soul/heart)
e’ un buon film (with an interesting theme, done well)
la cioccolata calda e’ buona (of taste)
We also use it to wish something to someone:
Buon viaggio! Buone vacanze! Buona giornata! Buon lavoro!
BRAVO is used only in reference to living beings to express positive qualities, when you are good at doing something… in your job, in a sport you play, in dancing, in speaking Italian, in making a cake and also in your manners, in your sensitivity to others when you behave politely, for instance:
We have: Bravo (singular masculine) Bravi (plural masculine) Brava (feminine singular) Brave (Feminine plural)
Sara e’ una brava ragazza (she is courteous…polite…
Giancarlo Giannini e’ un bravo attore (he is good as an actor)
Amedea e’ una brava insegnante (she is good in her professor)
Felix e’ un cane bravo (Felix the cane behaves well; he is trained well)
At the opera, many times you have you heard people clapping their hands and saying “bravo” to the tenor singer. The tenor is bravo in what he does… singing. If the singer, instead, is a soprano remember that you should say “brava”. It’s an adjective, so it must agree with the noun:
bravo presidente bravi presidenti
brava attrice brave attrici
bravo studente bravi studenti
BRAVO O BUONO? (They both mean good.)
I always tell my students that bravo is used only with people or animals (breathing beings). If you follow this little tip, it will be easier for you to choose the right adjective:
Un buon ristorante not un bravo ristorante
Un buon libro not un bravo libro
Una buona lezione not una brava lezione
Bravo is for somebody with skill. Un bravo falegname – a good carpenter.
BENE is and adverb and it means well in English It modifies a verb: one word no feminine or plural to worry about!!
Please write/say: Don’t write/say:
Simona canta bene Simona canta buono
Robert parla bene italiano Robert parla bravo italiano
Denise mangia bene Denise mangia buono
And here are some additional examples of how we use these four important Italian “parole”:
Marco e’ un bravo elettricista, lavora molto bene.
Amedea e’ una brava insegnante, insegna bene.
Gianna e’ una buona amica.
Il mio cane Prince e’ sempre bravo.
‘Da Gigi’ e’ un buon/bel ristorante.
‘”Cinema Paradiso” e’ un bel film italiano.
MMU e’ una buona universita’.
Mia sorella Valentina e’ bella e brava.
Questa lezione e’ bella.
Questo e’ un bel dvd.
La mia parrucchiera e’ brava.
Matteo e’ un bravo marito.
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About Learn Italian Manchester: My name is Amedea and I’m a native Italian tutor with a real passion for my language. I run Italian classes in Manchester which are sociable, fun and designed to teach you Italian you will really use. As well as Italian courses in Manchester I teach 1 to 1 Italian lessons and cover areas including Manchester City Centre,Didsbury, Chorlton, Sale, Altrincham, Hale, Woodford, Bramhall and others. I also run Italian cookery classes: fresh pasta, Italian vegetarian food, cookery classes for busy people, Italian style cocktail masterclasses and more. If you would like to do something new, learn to speak Italian and make new friends along the way! Contact me at: hello@learnitalianmanchester.