Good, Good and Good

Just in lesson 1.  I'm seeing Buon, Bene and Bravo all meaning “good”.  Is there a rule for when to use one or the other or is it simply personal preference?

Ciao Sandon,

In Italian, the words "buon," "bene," and "bravo" all have different meanings and are used in different contexts, although they can all be translated as "good" in English. Let's have a closer look at each word:

➜ "Buon" (masculine) / "Buona" (feminine): It is an adjective used to describe a noun and generally means "good" or "nice." It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example:

 ☞ Buon giorno! (Good day!)
 ☞ Buona fortuna! (Good luck!)
 ☞ Buon amico (Good friend)

➜ "Bene": It is an adverb used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It means "well" or "in a good way." It describes how an action is performed or how something is. For example:

 ☞ Parli italiano bene. (You speak Italian well.)
 ☞ Mangio bene. (I eat well/good food.)
 ☞ Si sente bene oggi. (He/she feels well today.)

➜ "Bravo" (masculine) / "Brava" (feminine): It is an adjective used to describe a person's ability or skill. It means "good" or "talented." It agrees in gender and number with the person it refers to. For example:

 ☞ Sei bravo nel calcio. (You are good at soccer.)
 ☞ Bravo! Hai fatto un ottimo lavoro. (Well done! You did an excellent job.)
 ☞ Lei è brava a suonare il pianoforte. (She is good at playing the piano.)

Summary: "buon" is used to describe a noun, "bene" is an adverb that modifies verbs or adjectives, and "bravo" is an adjective that describes someone's ability or skill.

It's not a matter of personal preference but rather understanding the specific usage and meaning of each word in different contexts. With practice and exposure to the language, you will become more familiar with when to use each word correctly.