{"id":4151,"date":"2022-06-03T16:13:11","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T16:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=4151"},"modified":"2022-06-03T16:13:11","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T16:13:11","slug":"no-bueno-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/no-bueno-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"No Bueno \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for a way to tell someone that their actions or suggestions are no good? You could tell them \u201cno Bueno<\/em>\u201d when they ask for your participation or opinion. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The Spanish saying \u201cno Bueno<\/em>\u201d is common across America, most common in non-Spanish-speaking communities. The expression is grammatically incorrect, and if someone says it to you, they don\u2019t have any understanding of Spanish.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNo Bueno<\/em>\u201d means \u201cnot good<\/em>\u201d or \u201cno good<\/em>.\u201d It\u2019s a way of voicing your disapproval or telling someone that you don\u2019t agree with their plans or what they are suggesting.<\/p>\n

However, since the phrase is grammatically incorrect, you won\u2019t find Spanish people using it in their community. The correct way to say the term would be \u201cno est\u00e1 bien<\/em>.\u201d With this saying, the verb \u201cest\u00e1<\/em>\u201d means \u201cto be<\/em>,\u201d in the third person, referring to \u201cit<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite being grammatically incorrect, it\u2019s still subject to the female and male nouns in Spanish. Using it with a masculine meaning would be \u201cno Bueno<\/em>\u201d and \u201cNo Buena<\/em>\u201d for the female version of the saying. However, since it\u2019s grammatically incorrect in the first place, most people use \u201cno Bueno<\/em>\u201d interchangeably between sexes.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cOh my goodness, that\u2019s no Bueno. How can you post that online and not expect everyone to come after you? You\u2019re the ultimate troll.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no Bueno, my man; I\u2019m sorry to hear that. There\u2019s no way those people can get away with doing that to you. We have to take revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I think of it? It\u2019s no Bueno, my guy. Just look at how people are reacting to it already. It\u2019s not what we were long for with the campaign results.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him I\u2019m not going with him no matter how much money it pays. That\u2019s no Bueno for me. I don\u2019t care what he\u2019s offering for the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone ever teach you manners? You can just reach onto the table and start grabbing food before saying grace. That\u2019s no Bueno.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything about this is no Bueno. From the ground up, the entire project is a bust. Let\u2019s get back to the drawing board and develop something practical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The expression \u201cno Bueno\u201d is a rendition of the Spanish phrase \u201cno est\u00e1 bien.\u201d\u00a0 Typically, it\u2019s said by other racial groups when they want to express their displeasure with something or avoid a situation. The saying has Latin roots, stemming from the word \u201cDuenos\u201d and appeared sometime in the 11th century.<\/p>\n

Language experts are unsure when the phrase entered American English. However, some think it comes from the 70s and 60s and the start of immigration from Mexico. Since the term is not grammatically correct in Spanish, we must assume that it has its roots in white culture.<\/p>\n