molestado

Molestado is the Spanish past participle of the verb molestar and is used as an adjective to describe someone or something that is annoyed, upset, or bothered. The masculine singular form is molestado, the feminine singular molestada; masculine plural molestados, feminine plural molestadas.

Etymology and meaning: Molestar comes from Latin molestare, from molestus meaning troublesome or annoying. As an adjective, molestado conveys a sense of being disturbed or perturbed by something, rather than simply irritated. It is closely related to the more common adjective molesto, but molestado often carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone and can emphasize a state rather than a fleeting feeling.

Usage and nuances: In everyday speech, most speakers prefer molesto, especially in casual contexts. Molestado tends to appear in formal writing, literary usage, or when the speaker wants to stress a definite state of annoyance. It can modify a person or a situation, for example, “Estoy molestado por la demora” or “La interrupción lo dejó molestado.” The forms align with gender and number: una persona molestada, varios individuos molestados.

Variants and related terms: Molestado is one of several related forms derived from molestar. Other related phrases describe the state of being bothered, such as “fastidiado” or “irritado,” which can carry different tonal nuances. In Northern and some regional varieties of Spanish, estropeos or molestias might be used in similar contexts, but molestado remains a standard option in written language.

In summary, molestado denotes a heightened, more formal sense of being annoyed or disturbed, distinct from the more everyday molesto.