non c'è male
/non ˈt͡ʃ‿ɛ ˈma.le/word by word
The English phrase "not bad" can be translated into Italian using several forms, most commonly non c'è male. Wiktionary also lists niente male and non male.
Meaning: reasonably good (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| non c'è male | /non ˈt͡ʃ‿ɛ ˈma.le/ (word by word) |
| niente male | /ˈnjɛn.te ˈma.le/ (word by word) |
| non male | /non ˈma.le/ (word by word) |
These expressions are used to describe something that is reasonably good. Niente male is used informally to express positive surprise or satisfaction, while non male is a common informal expression used to express moderate approval. You may also encounter mica male, which is an informal expression used in a playful or teasing manner to emphasize something is better than expected.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase non c'è male literally translates to "there is no bad" (there is no evil/badness).
Which one should you use?
Niente male is a stronger version of "not bad," often used to express a pleasant surprise.
How do you pronounce it?
/non ˈtʃ‿ɛ ˈma.le/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word niente in niente male may have evolved from the Latin phrase ne gentem, meaning 'no person' or 'no one'.
- The expression non c'è male literally translates to 'there is no evil', as the word male can mean 'bad' or 'evil' in a moral sense.
- In Italy, responding to 'how are you' with non c'è male often signals a modest or cautious optimism rather than just a factual report.
Examples in context
- Non sono niente male!They're not bad at all!This sentence uses niente male.Tatoeba #1512126 by Guybrush88, translation #2723562 by sundown
- Non male come inizio.Not bad for a start.This sentence uses non male.Tatoeba #2979171 by Guybrush88, translation #2618426 by raggione
- "Come va?" "Non c'è male.""How are you doing?" "Not bad."This sentence shows non c'è male being used as a response to a question about how one is doing.Tatoeba #466535 by Guybrush88, translation #1051927 by CK
- Hai fatto un discorso niente male.You made quite a good speech.
- Hai visto il film ieri sera? Non male!Did you see the movie last night? Not bad!
- Ho comprato una nuova macchina, niente male vero?I bought a new car, not bad, huh?
- Ho assaggiato questa nuova ricetta, mica male!I tried this new recipe, not bad at all!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are discussing a new film they just watched.
- AlessandroTi è piaciuto il nuovo film?Did you like the new film?
- MartinaNon c'è male, è divertente.It's not bad, it's funny.
- AlessandroHai ragione, Martina.You're right, Martina.
- MartinaSì, l'ho apprezzato.Yes, I enjoyed it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not bad” translations and entries niente male, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (non, c'è, male, niente) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries c'è, male, niente, niente male, non, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
