Significado
Used to indicate that something is not going particularly well.
Contexto cultural
The French 'pessimism' is actually a form of social honesty. Saying 'pas très bien' is often seen as more authentic than a fake 'ça va super'. In Quebec, you might hear 'pas pire' (not worse), which actually means 'not bad' or even 'pretty good'. It's a fascinating contrast to 'pas très bien'. Belgians might use 'pas tellement bien' as a slight variation, though 'pas très bien' remains the standard. In many African French-speaking countries, responses are often more positive or religious. 'Pas très bien' might be followed by 'mais on rend grâce à Dieu'.
The 'Ne' Drop
If you want to sound like a local, say 'Ça va pas très bien' instead of 'Ça ne va pas très bien'.
Avoid 'être'
Never say 'Je suis pas très bien' to mean you are sick. It sounds like you are a low-quality person!
Significado
Used to indicate that something is not going particularly well.
The 'Ne' Drop
If you want to sound like a local, say 'Ça va pas très bien' instead of 'Ça ne va pas très bien'.
Avoid 'être'
Never say 'Je suis pas très bien' to mean you are sick. It sounds like you are a low-quality person!
The Shrug
Pair this phrase with a slight shoulder shrug and a downward mouth curve for maximum French authenticity.
Honesty is Key
Don't be afraid to use this. French people appreciate the honesty more than a fake smile.
Teste-se
Complete the sentence with the correct words.
Comment ça va ? - Non, ça ne va ___ ___ ___.
The standard response to 'Ça va ?' when things are not going well is 'pas très bien'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct for a health problem?
I don't feel very well.
We use the reflexive verb 'se sentir' for feelings and health.
Choose the best response for the situation.
Le serveur : 'Votre steak est bon ?' Vous (it's overcooked): 'Non, ...'
'Pas très bien cuit' specifically addresses the cooking quality.
Match the phrase to the context.
Context: Your phone is lagging.
We use 'marcher' for machines and technology.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
The Well-being Scale
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosComment ça va ? - Non, ça ne va ___ ___ ___.
The standard response to 'Ça va ?' when things are not going well is 'pas très bien'.
I don't feel very well.
We use the reflexive verb 'se sentir' for feelings and health.
Le serveur : 'Votre steak est bon ?' Vous (it's overcooked): 'Non, ...'
'Pas très bien cuit' specifically addresses the cooking quality.
Context: Your phone is lagging.
We use 'marcher' for machines and technology.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
12 perguntasYes, but 'pas très bon' is more common for taste. 'Pas très bien cuit' is perfect for the cooking quality.
No, it's neutral. It's a professional way to say a project or a situation is not going as planned.
'Mal' is much stronger. 'Pas très bien' is like a 4/10, while 'mal' is a 1/10.
In writing, yes. In speaking, almost never.
No! Use 'pas beaucoup' or 'pas très'. Never combine them.
Use 'Je ne me sens pas très bien'.
Yes, but 'pas terrible' is more informal and often used for movies, books, or food.
Yes: 'Ma voiture ne marche pas très bien'.
The direct opposite is 'très bien' or 'super bien'.
Extremely. It's probably heard thousands of times a day in Parisian cafés.
Yes, it's very common in SMS. You can even write 'ça va pas trè bien'.
It means 'not very good', which is a polite way of saying 'bad'.
Frases relacionadas
pas mal
contrastNot bad / Quite good
pas terrible
synonymNot great
ça ne va pas
similarIt's not going well
tout va bien
contrastEverything is going well
pas top
specialized formNot great / Not the best
