Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Dormir bem é bom para a saúde.

Portuguese often uses the infinitive as a noun-like subject to talk about activities in general. So Dormir bem literally means “Sleeping well.” It’s the same pattern as English: “Sleeping well is good for your health.”

What does bem do here, and why does it come after dormir?

Bem is an adverb meaning “well.” It modifies the verb dormir to say how one sleeps. In Portuguese, short adverbs like bem typically follow the verb they modify: dormir bem, comer bem, falar bem.

Why is it é bom and not está bom?

Use ser (here, é) for general, permanent, or defining statements and truths. Dormir bem é bom states a general fact. Estar would describe a temporary state (e.g., O sopa está boa = “The soup tastes good now”), which doesn’t fit here.

What’s the difference between bom and bem?

Bom/boa is an adjective: “good.” It describes nouns or, in this case, the idea of the activity. Example: Este livro é bom.
Bem is an adverb: “well.” It describes how actions are done. Example: Ela dorme bem. In the sentence, the action is described by bem (dormir bem), and the general evaluation uses the adjective bom (é bom).

Why is it bom (masculine) and not boa?

When an infinitive (like dormir) is used as a noun (a “verbal noun”) and becomes the subject, it’s treated as masculine singular by default. So the adjective agrees as masculine singular: Dormir bem é bom (not boa).

Why para a saúde and not para saúde?

In European Portuguese, generic abstract nouns often take the definite article. A saúde (“health” in general) is more natural than bare saúde here. You may see the article dropped in headlines or very general slogans, but para a saúde is the standard in Portugal.

Could I use à saúde instead of para a saúde?

Not with é bom. With the verb ser, the idiomatic preposition is para: é bom para a saúde.
Use a/à with the expression fazer bem/mal:

Dormir bem faz bem à saúde. (“Sleeping well does your health good.”) Here à is the contraction of a + a.

Why is there an accent in saúde?

The acute accent on ú shows the stress and a vowel break (hiatus): sa-Ú-de. Without the accent, you might mis-stress or merge vowels incorrectly. It’s pronounced roughly “sah-OO-deh” in careful speech.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. These are all correct and natural:

Dormir bem é bom para a saúde.
É bom para a saúde dormir bem.
Dormir bem, para a saúde, é bom. (more marked/emphatic due to commas)

Is saúde feminine? How can I tell?

Yes, saúde is feminine, so it takes a: a saúde. Many nouns ending in -e are not predictable for gender; you learn them with their article (e.g., a noite, o leite). Dictionaries mark gender; in use, you’ll see a saúde consistently.

How do I say “good for your health” specifically?

Add a possessive after the article:

Informal (tu): para a tua saúde
Formal/distant (você) or neutral: para a sua saúde So: Dormir bem é bom para a tua/sua saúde. Note: In Portugal, você is formal/distant; with close friends/family, use tu.

Are there other natural ways to say this?

Yes:

Dormir bem é saudável. (“Sleeping well is healthy.”)
Uma boa noite de sono faz bem à saúde.
É saudável dormir bem. All are idiomatic in Portugal; the nuance is minimal.

What’s the pronunciation like in European Portuguese?

Dormir: stress on the last syllable — dor-MIR.
é: open “eh.”
bom: nasal “om” at the end.
para a is often reduced in fast speech; you’ll hear something close to “prá” in casual conversation, though in writing you should keep para a.

How do I say the opposite?

Dormir mal é mau para a saúde. Here you see both contrasts:
mal (adverb) = badly
mau (adjective) = bad Alternative: Não dormir bem é mau para a saúde.

Could I use the personal infinitive to refer to a specific subject?

Yes, to make the subject explicit:

É bom eu/tu/ele dormires? Careful: only the verb takes the personal ending, the subject is implicit from context. Most natural:
- É bom dormires bem. (you, singular informal)
- É bom dormirem bem. (you all/they) This is common in European Portuguese and sounds very natural.