meno male
/ˈme.no ˈma.le/
The English phrase 'thank God' is translated into Italian as meno male.
Meno male is the standard idiomatic way to express relief or gratitude that a bad situation was avoided, functioning much like 'thank God' in English.
Meaning: exclamation of gratitude or relief (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase meno male literally translates to 'less bad'.
Which one should you use?
While meno male is a common idiomatic expression of relief, grazie a Dio is a more literal religious expression of thanks to God.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Naples area, the informal phrase Grazie a San Gennaro! is used to express gratefulness.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈme.no ˈma.le/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- Using meno male in a sarcastic tone can actually mean the opposite of relief. It can be used to mock someone for a situation that is actually quite bad.
- The word meno in meno male shares a common root with the English word 'minus'.
- Italians may pair meno male with a physical gesture, such as a quick wipe of the forehead or a sigh, to emphasize the 'less bad' nature of the situation.
Examples in context
- Meno male!Thank God.This sentence shows how to use meno male as an exclamation of relief.Tatoeba #2795800 by Guybrush88, translation #370585 by saeb
- Meno male che sei arrivato.Thank God you arrived.
- Meno male che non piove.Thank God it is not raining.
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are talking about a difficult exam.
- SofiaHo finalmente passato l'esame!I finally passed the exam!
- MatteoMeno male, Sofia! Ero preoccupato.Thank god, Sofia! I was worried.
- SofiaSì, è stato davvero difficile.Yes, it was really difficult.
- MatteoOra possiamo festeggiare, Matteo.Now we can celebrate, Matteo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry meno male, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries male, meno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
