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French Expression
| Meaning | oh well, never mind; too (damn) bad, tough | |
| Literally | so much worse | |
| Register | normal, informal | |
| Pronunciation |  |
[ta(n) pee] |
| IPA | [tɑ̃ pi] | |
Usage notes: The French expression tant pis can be used in a variety of ways with two essential meanings.
1) Fatalism
When you’re disappointed but resigned to your fate.
Par exemple…
| Il n’y a plus de vin mais tant pis. | There’s no more wine but oh well. (The stores are closed) | |
| C’est un peu cher mais tant pis. | It’s a bit expensive but never mind. (We have to buy it) |
2) Accusation / Refusal
Whatever happened, it’s your own fault.
Par example…
| C’est tant pis pour toi. | That’s just too damn bad for you. | |
| – Je ne veux pas travailler aujourd’hui. – Tant pis ! |
– I don’t want to work today. – Tough! |
Tant pis is stronger than the neutral "too bad" and can be quite rude, so use it sparingly.
Synonyms
- C’est dommage
- C’est dur
- Dommage
- Quel dommage
Antonym: tant mieux – good, all the better
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