Bem vs Bom

Bem means well and is used in expressions like Não me sinto bem! (I don’t feel well!).

Bem can be used as a noun or as an adverb. When used as a noun, its opposite is o mal (the evil), and when used as an adverb it is mal (evil). Used as an adverb, it modifies or describes verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

• Used as noun:
  • ✨ É importante fazer o bem. (It's important to do good.)
• Used as adverb:
  • 🏊♀️ Ela nada bem. (She swims well.)

When bem is used to emphasize another word, it means way, long or much.

• ⏰ Ela saiu de casa bem depois das nove. (She left home way after nine o’clock.)
• 👌 Assim está bem melhor. (It's much better this way.)

Bom is an adjective and applies to nouns. It’s normally translated as good, or nice. Being an adjective, bom has four forms; masculine and feminine, singular and plural.

The masculine forms are bom and bons, and the feminine forms are boa and boas.

• ☕ Este café é bom. (This coffee is good.)
• 📅 Tenha uma boa semana! (Have a nice week!)
• 🍽️ Aqui há bons restaurantes. (There are good restaurants here.)

The opposite of bom (good) is mau(s)/má(s) (bad).

• 🎬 Este filme é mau. (This is a bad movie.)
• 😢 Isso traz-me más memórias. (That brings me bad memories.)

Both bem and bom are used as an interjection, either in a disapproving way or just to end a topic.

• 👉 Bem, vamos então passar ao seguinte ponto. (Well, let's move to the next point.)
• ✋ Bom, já chega! (Good/Well, that's enough!)

Both words also share the same superlative degree: melhor (better)

• Bom:
  • 🍰 Este bolo é bom mas esse é melhor. (This cake is good but that one is better.)
• Bem:
  • 🎵 Ele canta bem mas ela canta melhor. (He sings well but she sings better.)

Sharpen your use and pronunciation of these words, as well as their opposites, with this video lesson!