# C'est pas terrible



## elxe

I'd like to ask you when to use the expression 'c'est pas terrible'.
At first, when I heard it, I thought it meant 'that's not so bad'. But from context it seems to mean that it IS bad. ...Is that right?


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## Suehil

How can we judge if you don't give us the context, Elxe?


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

elxe said:


> I'd like to ask you when to use the expression 'c'est pas terrible'.
> At first, when I heard it, I thought it meant 'that's not so bad'. But from context it seems to mean that it IS bad. ...Is that right?



Not so/too good, that is.


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## elxe

Suehil, I understand, the thing is, I heard it a couple of times (now I don't recall the exact context). 

So Juan, this sentence hasn't got the same meaning as 'pas mal' for example?


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## Omelette

No, it isn’t, elxe.  As Juan suggested. It’s the difference between:
What it’s like? 

Not too good./great.
Not bad.


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## djweaverbeaver

It can mean *It's not so/that great. It's not that special.* or *It's nothing to write home about.*


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## Omelette

‘terrible’ ,of course, is being used in the sense ‘great/fantastic’ etc. Not  (English) ‘terrible’.


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## franc 91

It's not very good


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## djweaverbeaver

I'm not sure Omelette who exactly your post was directed to, but I know this. _ Terrible _tends to mean 'great/fantastic/terrific' in Modern French, and *c(e n')est pas terrible* is the equivalent of saying *'ça n'a rien d'extraordinaire' ,'ce n'est pas extraordinaire/très beau/ génial*' ou '*c'est modeste*' hence my translations above.  It's pretty much a euphemistic way of saying that was awful and could be much better, so basically it's not terrible and it's not great either.


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## julie136

It's the contrary of "c'est pas mal". You could say "it's not that great" I guess
Often you can hear "c'est pas terrible, terrible..." meaning that something is very average or low-rated.
another french expression with the same meaning could be :
"ça casse pas trois pattes à un canard..." (<- familiar but not vulgar) meaning that there is nothing exceptionnal about it.


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## sound shift

"It's nothing special"
"It's no great shakes"
"It's nothing to write home about"


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## Icetrance

When you say "ce n'est pas mal", it can easily mean "it is not that great (pas terrible)" (ca ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard). You have to have the context to know what works best.

Pas terrible = ca n'a rien d'extraordinaire mais pas terrible et donc pas mal


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## moustic

Icetrance said:


> Pas terrible = ca n'a rien d'extraordinaire mais pas terrible et donc pas mal


I disagree, icetrance. _Pas terrible_ is negative. _Pas mal_ is positive.

Ce n'est pas mal = it's not bad (in fact, it's quite good).
Ce n'est pas terrible = it's not very good (at all).


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## tartopom

I'm with you, moustic.
In spoken French we can say "C'est pas mal " and "C'est pas terrible".


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## Pedro y La Torre

djweaverbeaver said:


> I'm not sure Omelette who exactly your post was directed to, but I know this. _ Terrible _tends to mean 'great/fantastic/terrific' in Modern French, and *c(e n')est pas terrible* is the equivalent of saying *'ça n'a rien d'extraordinaire' ,'ce n'est pas extraordinaire/très beau/ génial*' ou '*c'est modeste*' hence my translations above.  It's pretty much a euphemistic way of saying that was awful and could be much better, so basically it's not terrible and it's not great either.



I don't think I've ever come across anyone saying "c'est terrible" to mean that something is "great". Perhaps it exists in some quarters, but it can't be all that common.


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## moustic

_Terrible_ with a positive meaning is rather dated. _C'est pas terrible _seems to be the only "surviving" expression. Quote CNRTL:


> _Fam._ [Empl. comme intensif; avec valeur méliorative] Sensationnel, extraordinaire, propre à susciter l'admiration. Synon. _admirable, épatant, formidable, merveilleux_._ Elle avait un goût terrible en toilette.(A. France, Bergeret, 1901, p. 49). [...] On dit que les filles du pays sont terribles_ (Chardonne, _Dest. sent. III_, 1936, p. 45).


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## JClaudeK

moustic said:


> _Terrible_ with a positive meaning is *rather dated*.  _C'est pas terrible _seems to be the only "surviving" expression.


"the only" is perhaps a bit too strong.


> Larousse: terrible
> 
> Familier. Qui sort de l'ordinaire, qui suscite l'admiration, l'étonnement : Il est arrivé avec une fille terrible.


Citation de 2014: _C’est une fille terrible. Mais nous avons mutuellement décidé de nous séparer et de ne pas passer le reste de notre vie ensemble._


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## moustic

JClaudeK said:


> "the only" is perhaps a bit too strong.


Yes, you're right. 
May I say "c'est pas terrible" is very common, other expressions using "terrible" in a positive way are quite rare?


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## JClaudeK

moustic said:


> May I say "c'est pas terrible" is very common, other expressions using "terrible" in a positive way are quite rare *[now]*?


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## Reynald

moustic said:


> _Terrible_ with a positive meaning is rather dated. _C'est pas terrible _seems to be the only "surviving" expression.


Tout à fait d'accord. _Terrible _(FR) positif évoque irrésistiblement les années 60. Hallyday chantait_ cette fille-là, elle est terrible _(1963), et aussi ce gars-là, cette voiture-là…  _Elle est terrible,_ traduction française, dans le langage jeune de l'époque, de la chanson _(She's) Somethin' Else._


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## WME

In any case, ce n'est pas terrible d'oublier le " n' "


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## Icetrance

moustic said:


> I disagree, icetrance. _Pas terrible_ is negative. _Pas mal_ is positive.
> 
> Ce n'est pas mal = it's not bad (in fact, it's quite good).
> Ce n'est pas terrible = it's not very good (at all).



Hello.

You can disagree but I know that "pas mal" in French, or "not that bad" in English, doesn't always carry a positive connotation. You have to know the context, as it always the case.

"_Pas mal_" can absolutely imply in some contexts "_It's not that great_". 

In *some* contexts, "_pas terrible_ = _pas mal _= _ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_."


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## Pedro y La Torre

Icetrance said:


> Hello.
> 
> You can disagree but I know that "pas mal" in French, or "not that bad" in English, doesn't always carry a positive connotation. You have to know the context, as it always the case.
> 
> "_Pas mal_" can absolutely imply in some contexts "_It's not that great_".
> 
> In *some* contexts, "_pas terrible_ = _pas mal _= _ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_."



Give some examples of what you mean. I've never heard "pas mal" used in the same vein as "pas terrible".


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## sneaky13

c'est pas trop mal cette discussion


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## Blougouz

Pedro y La Torre said:


> Give some examples of what you mean. I've never heard "pas mal" used in the same vein as "pas terrible".


C'est pas mal is always positive and motivating... Unless in a pejorative way...
For example:
C'est pas mal, mais bon... On a vu mieux!
(NB: without the n' usually!)


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## JClaudeK

Pedro y La Torre said:


> Give some examples of what you mean. I've never heard "pas mal" used in the same vein as "pas terrible".


+ 1


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## Icetrance

Pedro y La Torre said:


> Give some examples of what you mean. I've never heard "pas mal" used in the same vein as "pas terrible".



_Ce gâteau-là, c'est pas mal, mais ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_.

En d'autres mots = The cake is not that great (_pas terrible_).

Pas mal (here) = loin d'être un beau compliment


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## Blougouz

Icetrance said:


> _Ce gâteau-là, c'est pas mal, mais ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_.
> 
> En d'autres mots = The cake is not that great (_pas terrible_).
> 
> Pas mal (here) = loin d'être un beau compliment


I kind of disagree, Icetrance...
If I am expecting a comment on a cake I baked, I would really prefer a "pas mal" than a "pas terrible!"...
Pas mal: quite good, correct, it's ok enough
Pas terrible: not happening at all!

Also... "Ah, pas mal...!" accentuated on "...al" is a très beau compliment about it, or refering to: an art work, a dress, a photograph, or... a woman!...


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## Pedro y La Torre

Icetrance said:


> _Ce gâteau-là, c'est pas mal, mais ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_.
> 
> En d'autres mots = The cake is not that great (_pas terrible_).
> 
> Pas mal (here) = loin d'être un beau compliment



Sorry, it's not the same thing at all. Pas mal doesn't mean 'pas terrible', even in your own example.


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## JClaudeK

Blougouz said:


> "Ah, pas m*a*l...!" accentuated on "...al" is a très beau compliment


+1

It's true, accentuated in a certain way _pas mal _can mean "_pas mal, mais pas extraordinaire non plus"._
But_ "pas terrible" _is much stronger, it's a really pejorative  comment.


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## Icetrance

Well, in English, it is the same thing, more or less: I don't see much of a difference between "not bad and "not terrible" in some contexts. Sure, you can argue that "not terrible" is harsher, but that can be interchangeable, depending on context.


^J'y rajoute ceci pour terminer: un "pas terrible" peut facilement se déguiser en un "pas mal" dans certains contextes bien particuliers.  Mais là je ne vais pas continuer à pinailler dessus.   Vous êtes tous libres de penser comme vous le voulez et d'avoir l'opinion qui vous convient le mieux.


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## jekoh

Icetrance said:


> _Ce gâteau-là, c'est pas mal, mais ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard_.
> 
> En d'autres mots = The cake is not that great (_pas terrible_).


The meaning of "p_as terrible"_ is conveyed by "_ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard", _not by "_c'est pas mal_".

If your sentence is just "_Ce gâteau-là, c'est pas mal._", then it means something completely different.


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## moustic

Icetrance said:


> Well, in English, it is the same thing, more or less: I don't see much of a difference between "not bad and "not terrible" in some contexts.


You are taking the English meaning for "terrible" and transferring it to French. That doesn't work in this instance.
The problem is that in informal French "c'est terrible" (no *pas*) means "it's fantastic" (see post #20 Reynald: "Cette fille-là, elle est terrible") which logically leads to "ce n'est pas terrible" -> it's not fantastic.

So you have _opposing_ expressions: C'est pas mal ≠ C'est pas terrible (it's not bad ≠ it's not fantastic).


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## DrChen

moustic said:


> The problem is that in informal French "c'est terrible" (no *pas*) means "it's fantastic" (see post #20 Reynald: "Cette fille-là, elle est terrible") which logically leads to "ce n'est pas terrible" -> it's not fantastic.


Exactement !! Et ça rejoint ce que quelqu'un disait plus haut :


moustic said:


> _Terrible_ with a positive meaning is rather dated. _C'est pas terrible _seems to be the only "surviving" expression. Quote CNRTL:


Ah bah ! C'était toi


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## Pedro y La Torre

moustic said:


> You are taking the English meaning for "terrible" and transferring it to French. That doesn't work in this instance.
> The problem is that in informal French "c'est terrible" (no *pas*) means "it's fantastic" (see post #20 Reynald: "Cette fille-là, elle est terrible") which logically leads to "ce n'est pas terrible" -> it's not fantastic.
> 
> So you have _opposing_ expressions: C'est pas mal ≠ C'est pas terrible (it's not bad ≠ it's not fantastic).



Game, set, and match.


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## Icetrance

moustic said:


> You are taking the English meaning for "terrible" and transferring it to French. That doesn't work in this instance.
> The problem is that in informal French "c'est terrible" (no *pas*) means "it's fantastic" (see post #20 Reynald: "Cette fille-là, elle est terrible") which logically leads to "ce n'est pas terrible" -> it's not fantastic.
> 
> So you have _opposing_ expressions: C'est pas mal ≠ C'est pas terrible (it's not bad ≠ it's not fantastic).



Hello.

No, I know what "pas terrible" means. Not confusing it with the English meaning.

I am well aware that  _pas terrible_ has stronger negative connotations in a general sense than _pas mal_.  I am not sure where I was arguing that point, but words got put in my mouth somewhere along the lines. 

At any rate, I have seen "_pas mal_" used to imply "_pas terrible_". We all know that is so possible.  Context is everything.


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## JClaudeK

Icetrance said:


> I am well aware that _pas terrible_ has stronger negative connotations in a general sense than _pas mal_.


_"C'est pas mal." _doesn't have any _negative connotation,_ that's the point. _"Pas mal" _is (more or less) a compliment!


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## Pedro y La Torre

Icetrance said:


> At any rate, I have seen "_pas mal_" used to imply "_pas terrible_". We all know that is so possible.  Context is everything.



Where? Post specific examples. You have native speakers telling you that you're wrong and yet you persist so presumably you have evidence that you're waiting to produce.


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## Nicomon

Give it up, Icetrance.  I don't see the point of coming back 8 months later... to basically repeat what you wrote several times back in September.  Natives will not agree with you. 





> The French expression _ce n'est pas terrible_ is a weird one, because the word _terrible_ is a semi-faux ami par excellence, as it can mean either "terrible" or "terrific." Yes, it's true—if someone says _c'est terrible !_ they might mean "it's great!" or they might mean "it's awful!"
> In the negative, ironically, _terrible_ is usually positive, so _ce n'est pas terrible_ (or, more familiarly, _c'est pas terrible_) most commonly means "it's not so great, it's nothing special."


 _Pas terrible_ is more or less a synonym of _pas fameux_.
See this page : pas fameux - traduction - Dictionnaire Français-Anglais WordReference.com
I have yet to hear or read _pas mal  _- which is a litote for  _bien - _when people mean  _pas terrible/pas fameux. 

Pas si/trop mal mais pas terrible = not so/too bad, but not so/that great.   _
That would be a 3 stars.


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## broglet

To complicate the issue (for those who feel they aren't yet sufficiently confused ) 'bad' sometimes means good, especially among young people, eg "This discussion is well bad"


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