Comparativi e Superlativi di Buono, Cattivo, Bene, Male

Buono is an adjective, and as such it is used in combination with a noun to describe a person or a thing. As an adjective, it agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes. The opposite of buono is cattivo.

Lucia è una buona amica. [Lucia is a good friend]

Conosci dei buoni rimedi per il mal di gola? [Do you know some good remedies for a sore throat?]

Ho una cattiva tosse! [I have a bad cough!]

Bene is an adverb, and as such it is used in combination with a verb to describe the way the verb is carried out. The opposite of bene is male.

La dottoressa ha spiegato bene cosa devo fare per guarire. [The doctor explained well what I need to do to heal.]

Noi mangiamo bene per stare in forma. [We eat well to stay in shape.]

Dormo male e sono stressato. [I sleep badly and I am stressed.]

The only exception to this general rule is the verb essere, which takes the adjective buono to describe things.

La pizza in quel ristorante è buona. [The pizza in that restaurant is good.]

Siete una buona classe di studenti. [You are a good class of students.]

The comparative form of buono is migliore, which is used to compare two things or people. The comparative form of cattivo is peggiore.

Il vostro sistema sanitario è migliore del nostro. [Your healthcare system is better than ours.]

Le nuove medicine sono peggiori di quelle che prendevo prima. [The new meds are worse than those I took before.]

The comparative form of bene is meglio, which is also used exclusively with verbs.
The comparative form of male is peggio.

Ho dormito un’ora e adesso sto meglio. [I slept for an hour and now I feel better.]

Da quando vivo da sola mangio peggio. [Since I started living by myself, I eat worse.]

The superlative form of buono is ottimo, which is used to express the maximum grade of the adjective. The superlative form of cattivo is pessimo.

Conosco un ottimo rimedio per il mal di testa. [I know an excellent remedy for headaches.]

È davvero un ospedale pessimo! [It is truly a terrible hospital!]

The superlative form of bene is benissimo, which is used to express the maximum grade of the adverb. The superlative form of male is malissimo.

Dopo aver preso quella medicina la mia allergia è sparita: sto benissimo! [After taking that medicine my allergy disappeared: I feel very well!]

Ho mangiato troppo ieri sera, e ho dormito malissimo. [I ate too much last night, and I slept very badly.]