molestos

Molestos is the plural masculine form of the Spanish adjective molesto, used to describe things that cause annoyance, trouble, or discomfort. The corresponding feminine form is molestas, while the singular forms are molesto (masculine) and molesta (feminine). The related noun is molestia, meaning nuisance or trouble. The verb that shares the same root is molestar, meaning to bother or to annoy.

Etymology and usage. Molesto derives from Latin molestus, through Spanish evolution of the word. In sentences, molesto generally refers to an external cause of irritation or inconvenience, as in los ruidos nocturnos son molestos para los vecinos (“the nighttime noises are annoying for the neighbors”) or es una situación molesta (“it is an annoying/situation”). When used with estar, molesto can express an emotional state such as annoyance or upset: estoy molesto. With ser, it characterizes a habitual or inherent quality of something as bothersome.

Context and nuance. Molesto is broad and can describe people, objects, or circumstances. It is somewhat milder than terms like irritante or fastidioso, though still negative. In some dialects, otra expresión similar is incómodo, and synonyms include desagradable and molestado in older or regional usage; antonyms include agradable, placentero, and cómodo.

See also. Molestia; molestia (as a noun); molestar (the verb); fastidio; incomodidad.