Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pas mal | /pa mal/ /pɑ mal/ |
|
| pas pire | Quebec | |
| pas si pire | Quebec |
The phrase is used to describe something as reasonably good. For example, you might say Pas mal du tout to mean 'not bad at all'. While pas mal is a standard way to express this, you might also encounter Ce n'est pas mauvais to translate 'it is not bad'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase pas mal is composed of pas (not) and mal (bad/badly).
Which one should you use?
In standard French, pas mal is the typical way to say 'not bad'. In contrast, the forms pas pire and pas si pire are used specifically in Quebec to convey similar meanings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, speakers often use pas pire to mean 'not bad' or 'not worse' and the colloquial expression pas si pire to mean 'not so bad'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Be careful with the meaning of this phrase when it is followed by the preposition de. The expression pas mal de does not mean 'not bad'. Instead, it changes meaning to 'quite a lot of' or 'many'.
How do you pronounce it?
/pa mal/
Did you know?
- The word pas in the phrase pas mal actually originated from the Latin word for 'a step', meaning 'not a step'. This was once part of a longer expression to say 'not even a step' to mean 'not at all'.
- In some contexts, pas mal functions as a litotes, where saying something is 'not bad' is a culturally understated way of saying it is actually very good.
- The word mal shares a common ancestor with the English word 'malice', both tracing back to roots describing something that is 'wrong' or 'bad'.
Examples in context
- Pas mal, hein ?Not bad, eh?This sentence shows how to use pas mal to ask for agreement.Tatoeba #3245117 by sacredceltic, translation #8384103 by shekitten
- Tu n'es pas mal.You're not bad.This sentence shows how to use pas mal to describe a person.Tatoeba #4839241 by sacredceltic, translation #2218227 by CK
- Pas mal du tout.Not bad at all.This sentence demonstrates the use of pas mal to mean 'not bad at all'.Tatoeba #11221396 by lbdx, translation #8481057 by shekitten
- Je trouve que cette idée est vraiment pas mal.I think this idea is really not bad.
- Le film que j'ai vu hier soir n'était pas mauvais.The movie I watched last night was not bad.
- J'ai réussi mon examen, je me suis débrouillé assez bien.I passed my exam, I did quite well.
- Ta nouvelle voiture est pas mal du tout !Your new car is not bad at all!
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are discussing a movie they just watched.
- ChloéTu as aimé le film ?Did you like the movie?
- HugoC'était pas mal, franchement.It was not bad, honestly.
- ChloéMoi aussi, je trouve ça pas mal.Me too, I think it's not bad.
- HugoOui, c'était plutôt sympa.Yes, it was quite nice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not bad” translations and entries pas mal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mal, pas, pas mal, pire, si, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
