What it's NOT
fastidious does NOT translate to fastidioso.
To say "fastidioso" in English, use annoying.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
fastidious
Does NOT mean fastidioso
It means meticulous / very particular about details
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
fastidious means meticulous / very particular about details.
Why it's confused
Spanish "fastidioso" describes something annoying, bothersome, or irritating. English "fastidious" describes someone very detail-oriented, careful, and demanding about details or cleanliness. It's not irritating, it's perfectionist.
How it's pronounced
fastidiousfas-TÍ-di-us
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Examples of correct use
English
She's fastidious about cleaning.
Spanish
Es muy meticulosa con la limpieza.
English
He's a fastidious editor.
Spanish
Es un editor muy minucioso.
A trick to remember it
Fastidious = meticulous/very particular. Annoying (Spanish "fastidioso") = annoying.
Mini quiz
"A fastidious worker" is a worker who is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "fastidious" mean in English?
"Fastidious" means "meticulous / very particular about details". It looks a lot like "fastidioso", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "fastidioso" in English?
To say "fastidioso" in English, use "annoying". If you use "fastidious" instead, you would actually be saying "meticulous / very particular about details".
Do "fastidious" and "fastidioso" mean the same thing?
Spanish "fastidioso" describes something annoying, bothersome, or irritating. English "fastidious" describes someone very detail-oriented, careful, and demanding about details or cleanliness. It's not irritating, it's perfectionist.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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