Portuguese Phrase
Tudo bem?
Meaning
This is a very common and versatile Portuguese phrase used to ask about someone's well-being or if everything is alright. It literally translates to "All good?" or "Everything well?". It can be used as a greeting or a follow-up question.
When to use
Use 'Tudo bem?' as a casual greeting to ask 'How are you?' or 'How's it going?'. It's also perfect for checking if a situation is okay or if someone is doing fine after an event. It's suitable for most informal and semi-formal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tudobem?
Tudo
'Tudo' means 'all' or 'everything'. It's an indefinite pronoun that refers to the entirety of something. In this phrase, it refers to 'everything' in general.
Bem
'Bem' is an adverb meaning 'well' or 'good'. It describes the state or condition of 'tudo' (everything). It's crucial to use 'bem' (adverb) instead of 'bom' (adjective) when asking about well-being.
🗨In Conversation
Oi, Ana! Tudo bem?
Hi, Ana! How are you?
Tudo bem, e você?
All good, and you?
✕Common Mistakes
Como está você bem?
While 'Como está você?' is correct, adding 'bem' directly after it in this way is redundant and unnatural. 'Tudo bem?' is a complete phrase on its own.
Tudo bom?
While 'bom' means 'good', 'bem' means 'well'. When asking about well-being or if things are going well, 'bem' is the correct adverb to use. 'Tudo bom?' is less common and can sound a bit off.
↔Alternatives
Como vai?
How are you doing?
Como está?
How are you?
E aí?
What's up? (very informal)
Tudo certo?
All right? / Everything okay?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, 'Tudo bem?' is incredibly common and often used as part of a greeting sequence. It's typical to hear 'Oi, tudo bem?' (Hi, how are you?) and the response is usually 'Tudo bem, e você?' (All good, and you?). It's a friendly and informal way to connect, showing genuine interest in the other person's state.