Meaning
Expressing strong disapproval, dismay, or distress.
Cultural Background
In the Levant, 'هذا فظيع' is often replaced by 'يا لطيف' (Ya Lateef), which is an appeal to God's kindness in the face of something scary or bad. Be extremely careful with 'فظيع' in Egypt. It is a 'contronym'—it can mean 'terrible' or 'amazing' depending on the context and tone. In more conservative Gulf settings, people might use 'لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله' more frequently than 'هذا فظيع' to maintain a stoic and religious response to bad news. Due to French influence, you might hear 'C'est horrible' mixed with Arabic, or the word 'فظيع' used in a very formal, classical sense.
Use with Empathy
When someone tells you bad news, don't just say the phrase. Lower your voice and tilt your head slightly to show genuine concern.
The Egyptian Trap
If an Egyptian friend says your cooking is 'fazee', don't be offended! They likely mean it's the best thing they've ever tasted.
Meaning
Expressing strong disapproval, dismay, or distress.
Use with Empathy
When someone tells you bad news, don't just say the phrase. Lower your voice and tilt your head slightly to show genuine concern.
The Egyptian Trap
If an Egyptian friend says your cooking is 'fazee', don't be offended! They likely mean it's the best thing they've ever tasted.
Add 'حقاً' for Emphasis
Saying 'هذا فظيع حقاً' (Haza fazee' haqqan) makes you sound much more fluent and sincere.
Pair with Invocations
In religious contexts, follow 'هذا فظيع' with 'لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله' to sound like a native speaker.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the adjective.
هذه الأخبار ______! (فظيع)
Since 'الأخبار' (news) is treated as a feminine singular or plural in Arabic, the adjective must be feminine 'فظيعة'.
Which is the most appropriate reaction to: 'لقد رسبتُ في الامتحان' (I failed the exam)?
Reaction:
Failing an exam is bad news, so 'هذا فظيع' is the correct empathetic response.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You see a massive oil spill in the ocean.
An oil spill is an environmental disaster, requiring a strong negative expression.
Complete the dialogue.
علي: سأنتقل إلى مدينة أخرى الأسبوع القادم. سارة: ماذا؟ ______! سنفتقدك كثيراً.
In this context, Sarah is shocked and sad about her friend leaving, so 'هذا فظيع' expresses her dismay.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Intensity Scale of 'Bad' in Arabic
When to say 'هذا فظيع'
Situations
- • Bad News
- • Accidents
- • Moral Outrage
- • Bad Smells
Practice Bank
4 exercisesهذه الأخبار ______! (فظيع)
Since 'الأخبار' (news) is treated as a feminine singular or plural in Arabic, the adjective must be feminine 'فظيعة'.
Reaction:
Failing an exam is bad news, so 'هذا فظيع' is the correct empathetic response.
Situation: You see a massive oil spill in the ocean.
An oil spill is an environmental disaster, requiring a strong negative expression.
علي: سأنتقل إلى مدينة أخرى الأسبوع القادم. سارة: ماذا؟ ______! سنفتقدك كثيراً.
In this context, Sarah is shocked and sad about her friend leaving, so 'هذا فظيع' expresses her dismay.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but be careful. 'هو شخص فظيع' means 'He is a terrible/cruel person.' It is a very strong insult.
It's better to use 'هذا مؤسف' (This is regrettable) or 'هذا أمر غير مقبول' (This is unacceptable) in formal emails unless the situation is a true disaster.
The feminine form is 'هذه فظيعة' (Hazihi fazee'ah).
Use 'كان ذلك فظيعاً' (Kana zalika fazee'an).
No, it is a proper Modern Standard Arabic word, but it is used very frequently in daily speech.
Indirectly, yes. Something terrible is often scary, but the specific word for scary is 'mukhif' (مخيف).
It's similar to how English speakers use 'wicked' or 'terrific' (which originally meant 'causing terror') to mean 'great'.
No, it's a reaction of shock. It's only rude if you use it to describe someone's hard work or a gift they gave you.
For things, it's 'هذه الأشياء فظيعة'. For people (rare), it's 'هؤلاء الناس فظيعون'.
Yes, 'هذا الفيلم فظيع' is a very common way to say a movie was really bad.
Related Phrases
يا لَلْهَوْل
similarOh, the horror!
أمر مريع
synonymA horrible thing.
يا للأسف
similarWhat a pity / Unfortunately.
هذا رائع
contrastThis is wonderful.
