Spanish grammar
Understatement and softening
Soften criticism and understate: no está nada mal, no es precisamente, más bien, un poco + negative.
From the scene No está nada mal (It's not bad at all)
In short
Soften what you say: no está nada mal is praise; no es precisamente means it isn't; más bien means rather.
Your turn
Which one goes with it's not exactly funny (= it isn't)?
Options: es más bien triste · no es precisamente divertida · no está nada mal
Show answer
it's not exactly funny (= it isn't) → no es precisamente divertida
How it works
No está nada mal is real praise ("it's pretty good"). No es precisamente + adjective politely says the opposite (no es precisamente divertida = it is not funny).
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Pues su capítulo, Doña Elena, no es (blank) corto.
Options: más bien · precisamente · nada mal
Show answer
Pues su capítulo, Doña Elena, no es precisamente corto.
Well, your chapter, Doña Elena, is not exactly short.
Good to know
Más bien means "rather, more like", and un poco in front of a negative adjective softens it.
it's not bad at all (= it's good) no está nada mal
Nuria
A ver... No está nada mal, Don Ramón.
Let's see... It's not bad at all, Don Ramón.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A ver... (blank), Don Ramón.
Options: No es precisamente divertida · Es más bien triste · No está nada mal
Show answer
Nuria
A ver... No está nada mal, Don Ramón.
Let's see... It's not bad at all, Don Ramón.
it's not exactly funny (= it isn't) no es precisamente divertida
Nuria
Bueno... no es precisamente divertida.
Well... it's not exactly funny.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Bueno... (blank).
Options: no está nada mal · es más bien triste · no es precisamente divertida
Show answer
Nuria
Bueno... no es precisamente divertida.
Well... it's not exactly funny.
it's rather sad es más bien triste
Elena
Es más bien triste. Un hombre que pierde un calcetín.
It's rather sad. A man who loses a sock.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank). Un hombre que pierde un calcetín.
Options: No es precisamente divertida · Es más bien triste · No está nada mal
Show answer
Elena
Es más bien triste. Un hombre que pierde un calcetín.
It's rather sad. A man who loses a sock.
it's a bit boring es un poco aburrida
Your turn
What goes with es un poco aburrida?
Options: it's not exactly funny (= it isn't) · it's a bit boring · it's not bad at all (= it's good)
Show answer
es un poco aburrida → it's a bit boring
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| it's not bad at all (= it's good) | no está nada mal |
|---|---|
| it's not exactly funny (= it isn't) | no es precisamente divertida |
| it's rather sad | es más bien triste |
| it's a bit boring | es un poco aburrida |
More lines from the story
- RamónPues su capítulo, Doña Elena, no es precisamente corto.Well, your chapter, Doña Elena, is not exactly short.
- Elena¿Un poco? Me he dormido en la página dos.A bit? I fell asleep on page two.
- ElenaNo. Es más bien perfecto.No. It's more like perfect.