Tá bom
tah BONG
How to say itPart of: Yes & no
“OK; fine; alright.”
Tá bom is the everyday OK in Brazil: agreeing to a plan, accepting an answer, closing a request (chega cedo, tá bom?). It is está bom (“it’s good”) said as everyone says it, with está clipped to tá. Tá on its own is the quick version; tá bem and ok mean the same. Said flat it also means “fine, whatever”.
Looking for all the ways to say yes and no? Yes and no in Portuguese: the guide
EverydayAll Brazilalso: ta bom, tá, tá bem, tbReply: Beleza.
How Brazilians use it
“— Me espera cinco minutos? — Tá bom.”
““Wait five minutes for me?” “OK.””
Agreeing.
“Tá, te encontro lá. Chega cedo, tá?”
“OK, I’ll meet you there. Come early, OK?”
Tá at both ends: yes, and a tag question.
“Tá bom, tá bom, você venceu.”
“Fine, fine, you win.”
Giving in.
“Tá tudo bem, não foi culpa sua.”
“It’s OK, it wasn’t your fault.”
Reassuring someone.
In a real book
“— Está bom, perdoa-lhe, disse eu.”How to reply
- Beleza.Cool, deal.
- Fechou.Done, deal.
Similar expressions
Brazil vs Portugal
Portugal says está bem or está bom in full, and pronto for “OK, done”; tá bom sounds Brazilian there.
Common mistakes
- Don’t write ta bom in careful text: tá, with the accent, is the clipped está.
- Don’t confuse it with tudo bom?, which is “how are you?”.
- Don’t read a flat tá bom as enthusiasm: tone decides between “OK!” and “fine, whatever”.
Frequently asked questions
What is tá bom in English?
OK, fine, alright. It is está bom (“it’s good”) said fast, and the everyday way to agree to a plan or accept an answer in Brazil.
What is the difference between tá bom, está bom and tá bem?
None in meaning. Está bom is the full form, tá bom how everyone says it, tá bem a variant. Writing tá bom in a text is normal; in formal writing, está bem.
How do you respond to tá bom?
Usually nothing is needed; it closes the exchange. To seal a plan, beleza, fechou or combinado.
Is tá bom the same as tudo bom?
No. Tudo bom? asks how you are; tá bom says OK. They share bom and nothing else.