Significado
Expressing mild satisfaction.
Contexto cultural
In the North, people are often more understated. 'Non è male' can actually be a very high compliment, meaning 'I am very impressed but I am keeping my composure.' In the South, where communication is more expressive, 'non è male' is often accompanied by a hand gesture (the 'hand purse' or a side-to-side wave) to add flavor to the meaning. Italians are very protective of their culinary traditions. Using 'non è male' for a dish is a way of acknowledging it is authentic and well-made without being overly dramatic. In Italian offices, 'non è male' is a safe way to provide feedback to a superior or a colleague without sounding sycophantic or overly critical.
The Italian Shrug
To sound like a native, accompany 'non è male' with a slight shrug and a downward tilt of the corners of your mouth.
Don't over-negate
Avoid saying 'non è non male'. Double negatives in this way don't work in Italian like they might in logic puzzles.
Significado
Expressing mild satisfaction.
The Italian Shrug
To sound like a native, accompany 'non è male' with a slight shrug and a downward tilt of the corners of your mouth.
Don't over-negate
Avoid saying 'non è non male'. Double negatives in this way don't work in Italian like they might in logic puzzles.
Modesty is Key
If someone compliments your work, replying 'non è male' about your own effort is a sign of great modesty (though 'grazie' is also necessary!).
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrase.
La cena di ieri sera ___ ___ male.
Since the sentence refers to 'ieri sera' (yesterday evening), we need the past tense (imperfetto) of the verb essere.
Which phrase is the most natural way to say 'Not bad at all!' in an informal setting?
Mica ___!
'Mica male' is a very common informal idiom in Italian.
Choose the best response for the dialogue.
A: 'Ti piace il mio nuovo taglio di capelli?' B: '___'
'Non è male' is the standard way to give a positive opinion on someone's appearance.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are asked 'Come stai?' and you feel okay, not great but not bad.
'Non c'è male' is the specific variation used to answer 'How are you?'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Levels of Approval in Italian
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosLa cena di ieri sera ___ ___ male.
Since the sentence refers to 'ieri sera' (yesterday evening), we need the past tense (imperfetto) of the verb essere.
Mica ___!
'Mica male' is a very common informal idiom in Italian.
A: 'Ti piace il mio nuovo taglio di capelli?' B: '___'
'Non è male' is the standard way to give a positive opinion on someone's appearance.
You are asked 'Come stai?' and you feel okay, not great but not bad.
'Non c'è male' is the specific variation used to answer 'How are you?'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasYes, but be careful. If you say 'Lui non è male,' it usually means he is physically attractive ('He's not bad looking'). It doesn't usually refer to his personality.
Yes, 'niente male' is a very common synonym. It's slightly more informal and can be used as an exclamation: 'Niente male!'
You can say 'non è affatto male' or 'non è male per niente'.
Yes, but you must change the verb: 'Questi libri non sono male.'
Not at all! In fact, it's a very common and honest compliment. However, if the food is truly amazing, 'eccellente' or 'ottimo' might be better.
'Non è male' is for things/opinions. 'Non c'è male' is almost exclusively used to answer 'How are you?'.
It's better to use more precise language in formal writing, like 'risulta soddisfacente' or 'è di buona qualità'.
Usually, yes. But if said with a sigh or a disappointed face, it can mean 'it's just okay/mediocre'. Tone is everything.
The opposite would be 'è pessimo' (it's terrible) or 'fa schifo' (it sucks - very informal).
Because 'non è male' sounds more sophisticated and less like a child. It shows you have a critical eye.
Frases relacionadas
niente male
synonymnot bad / nothing bad
mica male
similarnot bad at all
meno male
contrastthank goodness
non c'è male
specialized formnot too bad (response to 'how are you?')
