{
  "id": 748093,
  "title": "French Expression of the Day: Pas terrible",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/french-expression-of-the-day-pas-terrible",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T08:56:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Local France",
    "slug": "the-local-france-thelocal",
    "url": "https://www.thelocal.fr/20260813/french-expression-of-the-day-pas-terrible"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "\"Pas terrible\" is a frequently used French expression that can be confusing for English speakers. Literally translating to \"it's not terrible,\" the word \"terrible\" in French can also mean \"great\" or \"terrific.\" So, when someone says \"ce n'est pas terrible,\" it means \"not great\" rather than \"not terrible,\" as one might initially assume. This phrase is often used when someone feels lukewarm about something – it's not awful, but it's not impressive either. For example, if someone says \"Julien adore ce resto, mais à mon avis, ce n'est pas terrible,\" they mean that they love the restaurant, but they don't think it's that great. Similarly, if someone says \"Ce film est pas terrible alors je serais toi, je n'irais pas le voir,\" they are indicating that the film is average and they wouldn't recommend watching it.",
  "summary": "This is a very common French expression, but its meaning can be confusing for English speakers.",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Pas terrible\" means \"not great\" in French.",
    "Phrase used when feeling lukewarm about something.",
    "Example: \"Julien loves the restaurant, but it's not terrible.\""
  ],
  "editors_take": "The French expression \"pas terrible\" often puzzles English speakers, as it implies something is merely average or unimpressive, rather than literally not terrible, revealing a nuanced difference in linguistic connotation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Local France",
        "title": "French Expression of the Day: Pas terrible",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/french-expression-of-the-day-pas-terrible-754390",
        "published": "2026-08-13T08:56:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}