 |
|
| Share / Tweet / Pin Me! | |
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. | |
| (en sirotant) Pas terrible. | (while sipping) Not that great. | |
| – Tu as essayé ce resto ? – Oui, c’est pas terrible. (informal) |
– You tried this restaurant? – Yes, it’s not that great. |
Informally, the ne is dropped and this expression is pronounced c’est pas terrible – learn more.
Related lessons
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!
This free website is created with love and a great deal of work. If you love it, please consider making a 
Fear of speaking, glossophobia, is one of the most common phobias – even just in one’s native language. If you feel nervous when speaking French, it’s probably due to a lack of confidence in your skills. The obvious solution is to improve your French, but there are also other ways to increase your confidence and feel more comfortable speaking French.
Learn how to translate French infinitives, imperatives, and participles into English.