menos mal
Lemma Details
Translation: thank goodness; fortunately; luckily; it's a good thing
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This Spanish phrase combines 'menos' (less) and 'mal' (bad/evil), literally meaning 'less bad'. It evolved to express relief when something could have been worse but turned out better than expected. The construction parallels similar expressions in other Romance languages that use the concept of reduced negativity to express relief.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of it as 'less bad' = 'good thing'
- Remember that 'menos' (less) + 'mal' (bad) = 'less badness' = 'fortunately'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is extremely common in everyday Spanish conversation across all Spanish-speaking countries. It's often used as a standalone exclamation or followed by 'que' to introduce what fortunate circumstance occurred.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'menos mal' means 'fortunately', 'mal menor' means 'lesser evil' or 'necessary evil' - something bad that is accepted because the alternatives are worse.
Notes: The word order makes a significant difference in meaning between these two phrases.
Mnemonic: 'Menos mal' has the words in the order 'less bad' (relief), while 'mal menor' has them as 'evil lesser' (choosing the least bad option).