Learn English – why do we say “too bad”

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At first glance you'd think the correct use of the expression "too bad" would be in a conversation like this:

Sure stealing candy would be bad but stealing candy from a baby is just too bad.

But instead we more often use the expression either sarcastically in cases like this:

Yeah, I got it first! Too bad. You lose.

or as a synonym for "unfortunate" such as in:

It's too bad that you can't come to the party.

But why did we come to use "too bad" in this way that seems to be little related to the literal meaning of the words?

Best Answer

Dictionary.com lists five definitions for the adverb too:

  1. in addition; also; furthermore; moreover: young, clever, and rich too.
  2. to an excessive extent or degree; beyond what is desirable, fitting, or right: too sick to travel.
  3. more, as specified, than should be: too near the fire.
  4. (used as an affirmative to contradict a negative statement): I am too!
  5. extremely; very: She wasn't too pleased with his behavior.

I would say your first and second examples fall under definition 2, although the second example is clearly sarcastic in tone.

While your third example isn't exactly the same, I would say it falls under sense 2 as well, or even 5. It's not quite idiomatic to say it's very bad that you can't come to the party, but, essentially, that's the meaning of the phrase too bad: very bad, unfortunate, a bummer.

In short, I don't agree with the premise of your question. The phrase too bad is used in a way that is connected to the literal meaning of the words too and bad — at least it is in the examples you cited.

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