How to Say "to anger" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to anger” is “enfadar” — use 'enfadar' when the focus is on the resulting state of being angry, especially when it's a personal reaction to something upsetting.
enfadar
en-fa-DARenfaˈðaɾ
Examples
Sus mentiras me van a enfadar mucho.
His lies are going to make me very angry.
Me enfada que no recojas tu habitación.
It annoys me that you don't clean up your room.
No quería enfadar a nadie con mi comentario.
I didn't want to upset anyone with my comment.
Making others vs. Becoming
By itself, 'enfadar' means you are making someone else angry. To say you are getting angry yourself, you'll need the reflexive 'se' version: enfadarse.
The 'Gustar' Pattern
You can use this word like 'to like' (gustar). For example, 'Me enfada tu actitud' literally means 'Your attitude angers me.'
Angry vs. To Anger
Mistake: “Estoy enfadar.”
Correction: Estoy enfadado (if you're a boy) or estoy enfadada (if you're a girl). Use 'enfadar' only for the action of making someone mad.
enojar
eh-noh-HARe.noˈxaɾ
Examples
Su actitud siempre enoja a los clientes.
His attitude always angers the customers.
No quiero enojarte, solo quiero ayudarte.
I don't want to make you angry, I just want to help you.
La noticia enojó profundamente a toda la población.
The news deeply angered the entire population.
Direct Object
When using 'enojar' transitively, the person who gets angry is the direct object (the receiver of the action). You can replace them with 'lo/la/los/las' or 'le/les' depending on regional use.
Structure Contrast
This verb is structured like 'Yo enojo a mi perro' (I anger my dog). Compare this to the reflexive form where the anger stays with the subject: 'Mi perro se enoja' (My dog gets angry).
Enfadar vs. Enojarse
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