Meaning of French très bien in English

Très bien is a common French phrase that translates to “very well” or “great” in English. It consists of très, meaning “very,” and bien, meaning “well” or “good.” The phrase is often used to express approval, agreement, or satisfaction, similar to how English speakers might say “That’s great!” or “All right!”

In everyday French, très bien can be used in response to a question about how something went or how someone is feeling. For example, if someone asks Comment ça va? (How are you?), a natural reply could be Très bien (Very well). It can also reinforce a positive statement: Tu parles français? Très bien! (You speak French? Very well!).

Interestingly, while très bien is widely understood, French speakers sometimes prefer other expressions depending on the context. In casual speech, phrases like super, top, or nickel can sound more natural. In formal settings, très bien might be used in evaluations, such as grading work or assessing performance: Votre présentation était très bien. (Your presentation was very good.)