In this entry, we will learn the difference between bien/bueno/mal/malo used with the verbs ser and estar. They have different meanings depending on the subject they are used with.

Choose the one you have trouble with:

-Ser bueno/malo 
-Ser bien/mal  
-Estar bueno/malo 
-Estar bien/mal

☆Ser bueno/malo

Used with actions:

Bueno and malo are adjectives; therefore, they are used to describe something. Also, the verb ser is related to the word "permanent". So, we can say that ser bueno/malo is a "permanent description" or a general idea that may not change easily.

Let’s make it easier with examples:

Ayudar = Action
Es = Verb
Bueno = Adjective

Meaning: Helping is good.

Robar = Action
Es = Verb
Malo = Adjective

Meaning: Stealing is bad.

If you are wondering why they are "permanent descriptions", it is because "helping", as a general idea, is a good thing and it won’t be bad tomorrow all of a sudden. If someone thinks that, as a general idea, helping is bad, they can say ayudar es malo and it would also be ok.

More examples:

-Es bueno que te gusten los perros, pero no que tengas tantos en casa.
-It’s good that you like dogs, but it isn’t if you want to keep too many at home.

-Yo creo que tener dinero es bueno siempre y cuando ayudes a los demás.
- I think having money is good as long as you help others.

Used with people and things:

The explanation to use ser bueno and ser malo towards people is the same as above. You are describing how the personality of someone is.

- Pedro es bueno. (You are describing Pedro as a good person.)

- Las personas que roban son malas. (As a general idea, people who steal, are bad)

You can also use ser bueno/malo to mean "to be good/bad at", as follows:

- Soy bueno nadando.
- I am good at swiming.
- Ese niño es malo leyendo.
- That boy is bad at reading.

Use en with nouns.

- Soy bueno en ajedrez.
- I’m good at chess.
- Soy malo en matemáticas.
- I’m bad at math.

☆Ser bien/mal

I have good news for you, this is very easy because we never say ser bien nor ser mal.

☒ Yo soy bien.
☒ Pelear es mal.
☒ Caminar es bien

☑ Yo soy bueno.
☑ Pelear es malo.
☑ Caminar es bueno.

However, I want to make some clarification.

You may come across with sentences like "soy bien inteligente", or "soy mal jugador" which are correct. But if you look carefully, you might notice that both of them need a complement to work; so, if I take inteligente and jugador out from the sentences, they will make no sense.

- Soy bien. (¿?)
- Soy mal.  (¿?)

This is because bien is working as an adverb (and not as an adjective) meaning "very". On the other hand, soy mal jugador just means soy un jugador malo; malo can be before a noun but the spelling changes, "mal" when it is masculine, and "mala" when it is feminine.

- Él es mal jugador.
- Ella es mala jugadora.
- Él es un jugador malo.
- Ella es una jugadora mala.

(He/she is a bad player.)

 Ther have the exact same meaning, but as a native speaker of Spanish, I prefer to say mal jugador and mala jugadora because it sounds better.

☆Estar bueno/malo

Used with actions:

This expression is not used with actions:

☒ Caminar está bueno.
☒ Gritar está malo.

Used with people:

Estar bueno/a has a totally different meaning from the ones seen above when it is used towards people. This means "to be attractive" with a sexual nuance. Also, it sounds a bit slangy, so it is usually used when you are with closer friends of the same gender.

- ¿Cómo te parece ese chico? Está bueno, ¿no?
- What do you think about that guy. He’s hot, huh? 

- Esa niña me tiene loco. ¡Está muy buena!
- That girl drives me crazy. She’s so hot!



We just seen estar bueno/a, but how about estar malo/a? Does it mean "not attractive"?

Estar malo/a does not mean "not attractive", it just means "to be sick" or "not feel good", but it is colloquial.

- Llamé a Tom, pero me dijo que está malo, creeo que no irá a la fiesta.
- I called Tom but he said he doesn’t feel good, so I think he won’t go to the party.

☆Estar bien/mal

Used with actions:

Fortunaly, estar bien/mal means the same as ser bueno/malo when it is used with actions. Do you remember the first two images of this post?

Used with people:

When you learn basic Spanish, you learn greetings, don’t you? Estar bien/mal is used to answer the "How are you?" question when you meet someone.

¿Cómo estás?
- (Estoy) bien, gracias.

How are you?
- (I’m) fine, thank you.

Used with things:

When you use it towards things, it means, "to (not) be ok" or "(not) correct".

- Tu respuesta está mal.
- Your answer is wrong.

- ¿Está bien?
- Is this ok?

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