Inklingo

How to Say "irritating" in Spanish

English → Spanish

molesto

moh-LEH-stohmoˈlesto

adjectiveA2general
Use 'molesto' to describe something that is a continuous or recurring nuisance, often a source of persistent bother or disturbance.
A close-up illustration of a buzzing mosquito flying right next to a person's ear, suggesting irritation.

Examples

El ruido de la construcción es muy molesto.

The construction noise is very annoying.

Esa luz brillante es molesta para mis ojos.

That bright light is irritating to my eyes.

Molesto vs. Molestado

When describing a thing, use 'molesto' (the quality). The verb 'molestar' is used to describe the action: 'El ruido me molesta' (The noise annoys me).

irritante

ee-rree-tan-tehiriˈtante

adjectiveB1general
Use 'irritante' for things that cause direct physical discomfort or a more intense feeling of frustration and bother.
A mosquito flying near a person's ear while they are trying to sleep.

Examples

El humo del cigarrillo es muy irritante para los ojos.

Cigarette smoke is very irritating to the eyes.

Escuchar ese ruido todo el día es muy irritante.

Listening to that noise all day is very annoying.

Él tiene un hábito irritante de interrumpir a los demás.

He has an annoying habit of interrupting others.

Es irritante que no contestes mis mensajes.

It is irritating that you don't answer my messages.

One ending for all

This word ends in -e, which means it doesn't change for men or women. You can say 'el hombre irritante' or 'la mujer irritante' using the exact same form.

Using with 'Ser'

We use the word 'ser' (to be) with 'irritante' when we want to describe a person's personality or a permanent quality of something.

Using with 'Para'

When talking about physical irritation, we usually use the word 'para' to say what part of the body is being affected, like 'irritante para los ojos'.

The 'Irritanta' Trap

Mistake: “La situación es muy irritanta.”

Correction: La situación es muy irritante. Adjectives ending in -e in Spanish do not change to -a for feminine things.

Irritante vs Irritado

Mistake: “Tengo los ojos irritantes.”

Correction: Tengo los ojos irritados. Use 'irritante' for the thing causing the problem (the smoke) and 'irritado' for the part of your body that feels bad.

Molesto vs. Irritante

Learners often confuse 'molesto' and 'irritante' because both translate to 'annoying'. Remember that 'molesto' is generally for persistent nuisances (like constant noise), while 'irritante' implies a more direct, often physical, discomfort or a stronger sense of being bothered.

Related Translations

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