Ce n’est pas terrible

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Tricky French Expression

Meaning	it’s not that great
Literally	it’s not terrible, it’s not terrific
Register	normal
Pronunciation		[seu nay pah tay reebl]
IPA		[sə nɛ pa te ʀiblə]

Usage notes: Even after speaking French for a long time, the word terrible can be confusing, because it’s a contronym: a word that is its own antonym. It can mean "terrible," as in English, but it can also mean "terrific," making it perhaps the trickiest faux ami there is.

C’est terrible !		It’s awful!
C’est terrible !		It’s great!

 But when it’s used in the negative, terrible is generally positive (ha ha), meaning "terrific" or "great."

Par exemple…

J’ai vu la voiture, ce n’est pas terrible.		I saw the car, it’s not that great.
– Tu as essayé ce resto ? – Oui, c’est pas terrible. (informal)		– You tried this restaurant? – Yes, it’s not that great.
(en sirotant) Pas terrible.		(while sipping) Not that great.

 Informally, the ne is dropped and this expression is pronounced c’est pas terrible – learn more.

 Related lessons

• Être conjugations
• Negation