# sounds good/sounds well



## maremar2

I am not sure what is the difference between "good" and "well" and when you have to use one or the other. I would like to know your opinion about that.


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## Dlyons

maremar2 said:


> I am not sure what is the difference between "good" and "well" and when you have to use one or the other. I would like to know your opinion about that.




"Well" is often an adverb e.g.  "I did it well" and you can't use "good" (which is an adjective) in that way  "I did it good" 

Well is an ajective only in fairly limited cases
1) "well off", "well to do" (prosperous) - and you can't use "good"
2) Feeling in good health e.g. "I feel well today".  You could say "I feel good today" but it would mean something a bit different - usually feeling good mentally rather than physically.


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## spodulike

I think it´s true that "well" is always an adverb and "good" is always an adjective. "to do well" but "to be good" 

Can anyone think of an exception?


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## maremar2

I have seen this somewhere:

It will do you good to exercise = te hará bien el ejercicio.

Is it correct?


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## Dlyons

maremar2 said:


> I have seen this somewhere:
> 
> It will do you good to exercise = te hará bien el ejercicio.
> 
> Is it correct?




It will do you good to exercise
It will do you well to exercise 


You would do well to exercise


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## spodulike

In the expression "to do you good" the word good is a noun not an adjective or adverb

*The Bible*  "And if ye do good to them that do you good"

It means "If you do a good thing to them that do a good thing to you"

Example
"Exercise will do you good" means "Exercise will do (to) you a good thing"


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## Roger Slater

In the expression "to do good," the word "good" is being used as a _noun._ 

The good/well confusion generally involves the improper use of "good" as an _adverb_ instead of as an _adjective_.  

You don't need "a" to turn "good" into a noun.  In fact, "It will do you a good" sounds strange to me, and I'm wondering if it's a British thing that doesn't sound well to an American ear.

By the way, I think it's worth pointing out that good/well mistakes are fairly common even among native speakers, so don't be confused if you hear native speakers getting this wrong from time to time.

Sometimes it's a close call.  For example, I just wrote "doesn't sound well to an American ear."  That is arguably incorrect.  At any rate, I am sure that many Americans would go either way, saying "sound good" or "sound well."

One other point.  Although "good" is usually the adjective and "well" is usually the adverb, "well" may also be used as an adjective meaning "not ill" or "healthy."  So if someone asks how you are, or asks about your health, you may answer "I am well," not "I am good."


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## maremar2

I am not sure if I have seen this sentence somewhere.

That sounds good to me.

Instead of: that sounds well to me.


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## Roger Slater

There is a slight difference.  If you say something "sounds well," you mean that the act of making a sound was done well.  If you say something "sounds good," you mean that the sound that was produced was good.  I think "sounds good" is more typical.  For example, if someone suggests having chicken for dinner, you would say, "That sounds good to me."  It means that it sounds like a good suggestion.


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## maremar2

Yes, I was thinking when I ask about a word. And we are talking about several possibilities and the other person says: that sounds good to me. I think that could be considered a suggestion.


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## Sylphadora

Roger Slater said:


> There is a slight difference.  If you say something "sounds well," you mean that the act of making a sound was done well.  If you say something "sounds good," you mean that the sound that was produced was good.  I think "sounds good" is more typical.  For example, if someone suggests having chicken for dinner, you would say, "That sounds good to me."  It means that it sounds like a good suggestion.


It's funny, because sintactically you couldn't use a verb + an adjective, but people do it XD I didn't know the difference between 'sound well' and 'sounds good'


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## spodulike

maremar2 said:


> Yes, I was thinking when I ask about a word. And we are talking about several possibilities and the other person says: that sounds good to me. I think that could be considered a suggestion.


 
Examples

"_Have a look at the menu. What would you prefer?"_
_"The lamb casserole. That looks good"_ ...........................This means "That looks (to be a) good (dish)"


_"Shall we watch a DVD tonight?"_
_"That sounds good" ..............................._This is an abbreviation of "That sounds (like a) good (idea)"


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## FromPA

Sylphadora said:


> It's funny, because sintactically you couldn't use a verb + an adjective, but people do it XD I didn't know the difference between 'sound well' and 'sounds good'


 
Actually, you can use verb + adjective if the verb is a linking verb - a verb that conveys the essence of something rather than expressing an action. The most commonly used linking verbs are "to be" and "to seem," but verbs related to the senses, such as "to feel," "to sound," "to smell," and "to taste," can also be used as linking verbs.

I feel bad (linking verb - I am distressed - bad is an adjective modifying I) 
I feel badly (my tactile sense is impaired - badly is an adverb modifying feel)
That sounds bad (linking verb - that is a bad idea)
That sounds badly (it's ability to make sounds is impared)


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## maremar2

I am good- estoy bien (about my mood) Or “yo soy bueno”
I am well- estoy bien (physically)
 
I feel good- me siento bien (about my mood)
I feel well- me siento bien (physically)
 
I am bad- estoy mal (about my mood) Or “yo soy malo”
I am badly- estoy mal (physically)
 
I feel bad- me siento mal (about my mood)
I feel badly- me siento mal (physically)
 
I do not know if it is well-summed up. What I want to say is that when it goes with an adverb, then it is referring to the body.....


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## maremar2

What do you think about the above examples? Are they right?


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## Roger Slater

The only one that is totally wrong is "I am badly."  That is not good English no matter what you mean.  But "I am bad", though a proper sentence, does not mean you are in a bad mood, but that you are a bad person.  

Also, "I feel good" could mean _either_ you are in a good mood or that you feel physically okay.

"I feel well" refers to good health not because "well" is an adverb but because it is being used as an adjective.  As I mentioned, "well" is an adverb meaning "in a good manner" but it is also an adjective meaning "healthy."


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## elirlandes

Roger Slater said:


> The only one that is totally wrong is "I am badly."  That is not good English no matter what you mean.  But "I am bad", though a proper sentence, does not mean you are in a bad mood, but that you are a bad person.
> 
> Also, "I feel good" could mean _either_ you are in a good mood or that you feel physically okay.
> 
> "I feel well" refers to good health not because "well" is an adverb but because it is being used as an adjective.  As I mentioned, "well" is an adverb meaning "in a good manner" but it is also an adjective meaning "healthy."



The opposite of "I feel well" is "I feel unwell".


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## maremar2

I am good- estoy bien (about my mood) Or “yo soy bueno”. 
 
I suppose this sentence does not sound good. If someone asks me: how are you? “I am fine” or “I am well”. These two sentences are the only ones that comes into my head. Because: “I am good” sounds like “yo soy bueno”. 
 
What do you think?. Is there another answer for that question?.


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## Roger Slater

Maremar2, you are correct that "fine" or "well" are more typical, but "I'm good" is also an expression you will hear from time to time to mean pretty much the same thing.

By the way, these days "I'm good" is sometimes used in colloquial speech as a way of politely turning down an offer of hospitality or service of some kind.  For example, you are at a friend's house.  The friend says, "Can I offer you something to drink?"  You say, "No, thanks.  I'm good."  Or a waiter offers to refill your coffee cup, and you answer, "No, thanks.  I'm good."


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## horsewishr

maremar2 said:


> I am good- estoy bien (about my mood) Or “yo soy bueno”.
> 
> I suppose this sentence does not sound good. If someone asks me: how are you? “I am fine” or “I am well”. These two sentences are the only ones that comes into my head. Because: “I am good” sounds like “yo soy bueno”.
> 
> What do you think?. Is there another answer for that question?.



Actually, people do say "I'm good," to mean "I'm fine" (emotionally).  It's VERY common, and although it's not grammatically correct, I don't think anyone who hears it thinks "Wow, that's poor grammar!"  Honestly, I think it's just a more informal way of speaking.

That sounds good = "Eso me parece bien" 
That sounds well = "hace un buen sonido" . . . ¿Cierto?


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## horsewishr

Roger Slater said:


> "I'm good" is sometimes used in colloquial speech as a way of politely turning down an offer of hospitality or service of some kind.  For example, you are at a friend's house.  The friend says, "Can I offer you something to drink?"  You say, "No, thanks.  I'm good."  Or a waiter offers to refill your coffee cup, and you answer, "No, thanks.  I'm good."



Exacto!


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## elirlandes

horsewishr said:


> I don't think anyone who hears it thinks "Wow, that's poor grammar!



Your comment is correct for the US, but the use of "I'm good" comes across as bad grammar to speakers of British/Irish english, although its currency is recognised as a result of american films and TV shows.


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## Roger Slater

I agree with horsewishr, except I do not agree that "I'm good" is not grammatically correct.  The verb "to be" is often followed by an adjective, and "good" is simply an adjective here.  So "I'm good" does not break any rules of grammar.

It does, however, represent a slight change in colloquial speech.  I think that ten or twenty or thirty years go, not many people would have said "I'm good" instead of "I'm fine," but now, as horsewishr says, it is very common (at least in the US -- I don't know about Britain).


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## elirlandes

horsewishr said:


> Actually, people do say "I'm good," to mean "I'm fine" (emotionally).  It's VERY common, and although it's not grammatically correct, I don't think anyone who hears it thinks "Wow, that's poor grammar!"  Honestly, I think it's just a more informal way of speaking.
> 
> That sounds good = "Eso me parece bien"
> That sounds well = "hace un buen sonido" . . . ¿Cierto?





Roger Slater said:


> I agree with horsewishr, except I do not agree that "I'm good" is not grammatically correct.  The verb "to be" is often followed by an adjective, and "good" is simply an adjective here.  So "I'm good" does not break any rules of grammar.
> 
> It does, however, represent a slight change in colloquial speech.  I think that ten or twenty or thirty years go, not many people would have said "I'm good" instead of "I'm fine," but now, as horsewishr says, it is very common (at least in the US -- I don't know about Britain).



"I am good" works when "good" is an adjective describing me... as in, "I am a good person". 
When I ask my son "are you bold?" he can answer "no, I am good".

The cases described in earlier posts are not the same.


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## horsewishr

elirlandes said:


> "I am good" works when "good" is an adjective describing me... as in, "I am a good person".
> When I ask my son "are you bold?" he can answer "no, I am good".
> 
> The cases described in earlier posts are not the same.



Again, I think this is a difference between British and American English.  I don't even know what "Are you bold?" means.   

Yes, "good" always works as an adjective.  But in the case of "I'm good," at least in American English, it's an acceptable alternative to "I'm fine." For the non-natives, it's probably better to say "I'm fine."  But no American would think poorly of them if they said "I'm good."


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## Meyer Wolfsheim

maremar2 said:


> I am not sure what is the difference between "good" and "well" and when you have to use one or the other. I would like to know your opinion about that.


 

The problem is that often the English "good" implies a noun not the adjective form, for example in Spanish "el alto" refers to the tall one, so you would say: 

It sounds good to me. Here good is not an adverb, but rather replacing the overstated noun: It sounds like a good thing to me. 

You can say it sounds well, i.e. in the idiom: It sounds well enough to me. 

However, for style and fluidity in spoken form, I often prefer saying (It) sounds swell (to me). 

And of course the "it" is often omitted. The difficult part is trying to tell whether the "good" is merely an adjective acting as a noun or a misuse of the adverb/adjective "well/good" (something which many natives have trouble distinguishing). 

I did good=I did a good thing

I did well

Did you do good on the test?=Did you perform/do something good on the test OR did you do good TO the test?

Did you do well on the test?


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## maremar2

What happens with "it is good to see you after so many years"?

It is good to see you after so many years. (Es bueno verte después de tantos años). 

It is well to see you after so many years. (Está bien verte después de tantos años). 

It seemed to me that I have seen the first sentence instead of the second one. Why?


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## Roger Slater

Maremar2, the first is correct but (as you say) the second is wrong.  That is because "well" when it is used as an adjective means "healthy," which makes no sense in your example.

I do not agree with everything Meyer says.  With respect, the word "good" does not sometimes "imply" a noun, but it _is_ a noun in many circumstances.   See http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/GOOD.  (Click on Definition #2 in the little box up top). There are definitions for "good" as an adjective as well as definitions for "good" as a noun.

"I did good" is a proper sentence in the proper context.  One of the common definitions of "good" is "something useful or beneficial" (see my link).  "When I was a member of the Peace Corps, I did good."  Or, "I tried, but it didn't do any good."  Or, "My mother always told me that it's important to do good."  

But I can't really imagine any plausible context in which you would say "Did you do good on the test?"  I think the sentence calls for an adverb, not a noun or an adjective, so only "well" makes sense.


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## maremar2

I stared at these senteces: 

Did you do good on the test?
Did you do well on the test?


And after doing it, I looked “ do + good” up in my dictionary. And I found this result:

To do good = hacer el bien

*And “to do sb/sth good” = **hacerle* bien a algn/algo; *

*lying won’t do you any good at all** mentir no te llevará a ninguna parte, no ganarás *_or_* no sacarás nada con mentir; *

I guess that “do + good” is an action that is beneficial for you. 

For example: going on holidays will do you good (te hará bien irte de vacaciones).

“I did well on the test” is much easier for me. 

I think I have understood what you want to say. What do you think?


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## Roger Slater

No, do + good is something that is beneficial for _someone_, not necessarily yourself.  "Mother Teresa spent her whole life doing good."


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## maremar2

Roger Slater said:


> No, do + good is something that is beneficial for _someone_, not necessarily yourself. "Mother Teresa spent her whole life doing good."


 

It is understood. Thank you.


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## elirlandes

Roger Slater said:


> No, do + good is something that is beneficial for _someone_, not necessarily yourself.  "Mother Teresa spent her whole life doing good."



to do good = qualifies what was being done [a good act]
to do well = qualifies the manner in which something was being done [it was done well]


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## Roger Slater

Elirlandes, I'm not sure I understand your explanation.  "good" does not "qualify" what was being done -- "good" was the very thing that was done.   I do good.  I do bad.  I do bird calls.  I do scales.  I do balloon animals.  Whatever.  I do + noun.


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## Pedro y La Torre

horsewishr said:


> Again, I think this is a difference between British and American English.  I don't even know what "Are you bold?" means.



To be bold, in reference to children, is Hiberno-English meaning to be naughty.



horsewishr said:


> But in the case of "I'm good," at least in American English, it's an acceptable alternative to "I'm fine." For the non-natives, it's probably better to say "I'm fine."  But no American would think poorly of them if they said "I'm good."



It's also acceptable nowadays in Ireland, at least in younger circles, but this is no doubt down to American influence.


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## MrMadrid

I think we're complicating this unnecessarily.  The short answer:  we never say "sounds well".  We say "sounds good". As a native speaker, I cannot conceive of any situation in which I would say "sounds well."


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## Aristide

MrMadrid said:


> I cannot conceive of any situation in which I would say "sounds well."



What if you are using the negative form:

Is it OK to say that the phrase "it sounds well" doesn't sound very well?


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## horsewishr

> I think we're complicating this unnecessarily. The short answer: we never say "sounds well". We say "sounds good". As a native speaker, I cannot conceive of any situation in which I would say "sounds well."


Agreed.
The only situation I can think of is where well is a synonym for healthy.  For example:
_I talked to Steve last week.  I heard he had been sick, but he sounded well to me. _



Aristide said:


> What if you are using the negative form:
> 
> Is it OK to say that the phrase "it sounds well" doesn't sound very well?


No.  It's not correct in the negative, either.


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