French Phrase
Plutôt pas mal, en fait.
Meaning
Literally ‘rather not bad, actually’, this phrase is a modest way to say something was decent or better than expected, often with a hint of pleasant surprise.
When to use
Use it in informal conversation when you want to give a positive but understated opinion about a movie, meal, performance, or any experience you were asked about.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Plutôtpasmalenfait
Plutôt
Adverb meaning ‘rather’ or ‘somewhat’; it softens the statement that follows.
pas mal
Idiomatic expression meaning ‘not bad’; used to give a modestly positive evaluation.
en fait
Phrase meaning ‘actually’ or ‘in fact’; adds a slight corrective or explanatory nuance.
🗨In Conversation
Comment était le nouveau restaurant?
How was the new restaurant?
Plutôt pas mal, en fait.
Rather not bad, actually.
✕Common Mistakes
Plutôt pas de mal, en fait.
‘Pas mal’ is a fixed idiom; do not separate the words with a pause or replace ‘pas’ with ‘pas de’.
Plutôt en fait pas mal.
‘En fait’ should follow the whole statement, not be inserted between ‘pas’ and ‘mal’.
Plutôt mauvais, en fait.
Using ‘plutôt’ with a negative evaluation (e.g., ‘plutôt mauvais’) changes the meaning; keep it with ‘pas mal’.
↔Alternatives
C’est assez bien, en fait.
It's quite good, actually.
Pas si mal, finalement.
Not so bad, after all.
C’est correct, en fait.
It's okay, actually.
Cultural Tip
French speakers often downplay compliments out of modesty. Saying ‘pas mal’ sounds more natural than a super‑positive ‘c’est génial’, especially when you’re not sure how enthusiastic you should sound. Adding ‘en fait’ signals a slight surprise or a correction to a previous expectation.