Formed from French bête with the prefix en- and the verb ending -er. It is recorded from 1794 for causing strong annoyance and from 1820 for causing boredom.
Cause worry or inconvenience
verb
social
informal
To cause someone worry, inconvenience, or mild frustration, often about a problem that is difficult to solve.
Examples
- Ce retard m’embête beaucoup.This delay really bothers me.
- Je suis désolé de vous embêter si tard.I am sorry to bother you so late.
- Ça m’embête de refuser son invitation.I feel bad about refusing the invitation.
- Le bruit des travaux embête tout le quartier.The construction noise bothers the whole neighbourhood.
- Cette panne nous a bien embêtés pendant le voyage.This breakdown caused us a lot of trouble during the trip.
Similar words
contrarier
gêner
importuner
agacer
ennuyer
enquiquiner
tourmenter
Bore or tire
verb
entertainment
informal
To make someone lose interest and feel tired because something is dull or goes on too long.
Examples
- Ce film m’embête, on peut partir ?This film is boring me, can we leave?
- Les longs discours l’embêtent vite.Long speeches quickly bore him.
- J’ai peur de vous embêter avec mes histoires.I am afraid of boring you with my stories.
- Le cours les a embêtés toute la matinée.The class bored them all morning.
- Ce jeu n’embête jamais les enfants.This game never bores the children.
Similar words
ennuyer
raser
barber
assommer
lasser
bassiner
Tease or pester
verb
social
informal
To tease or repeatedly pester someone, usually in a playful or mildly irritating way.
Examples
- Arrête d’embêter ta sœur.Stop pestering your sister.
- Les enfants embêtent gentiment leur grand-père.The children are playfully teasing their grandfather.
- Il m’embête toujours à propos de mon accent.He is always teasing me about my accent.
- Ne l’embête pas, elle essaie de travailler.Do not pester her, she is trying to work.
- On se taquine sans jamais s’embêter méchamment.We tease each other without ever upsetting one another.
Similar words
taquiner
chahuter
asticoter
charrier
agacer
harceler