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molest and Spanish molestar
In English
molest
to sexually abuse
In Spanish
molestar
incomodar
Spanish "molestar" means: to bother / to annoy
Why they get mixed up Spanish "molestar" means to mildly irritate or bother someone. English "molest" has a connotation of sexual abuse, especially toward minors. The legal and moral weight is completely different between the two languages.
If you want to say...
- molestacosar o abusar
- bothermolestar
- disturbperturbar
Examples
Stop bothering me, please.
Deja de molestarme, por favor.
The noise is annoying me.
El ruido me está molestando.
He was arrested for molesting a child.
Fue arrestado por abusar de un niño.
She was molested by a stranger on the bus.
Fue acosada por un desconocido en el autobús.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Fue arrestado por molestar a un niño.
Correct: Fue arrestado por abusar de un niño.
Molestar means to bother. For sexual abuse, use abusar or acosar.
Incorrect: Ella fue molestada por un desconocido en el autobús.
Correct: Ella fue acosada por un desconocido en el autobús.
Use acosada for molested.
Phrases you will hear
- molest a childabusar de un menor
- a child molesterun abusador de menores
- be molestedser acosado
- bothermolestar
- annoyfastidiar
- disturbperturbar
In a conversation
- A:
Please don't bother me, I'm working.
Por favor, no me molestes, estoy trabajando.
- B:
Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.
Perdón. No quise perturbarte.
- A:
The noise annoys me.
El ruido me fastidia.
- B:
I'll close the door.
Cerraré la puerta.
Test yourself
How do you say Spanish "deja de molestarme" (stop bothering me)?
To remember it
For Spanish "molestar" (to bother), say "bother" or "annoy." "Molest" in English is far more serious, avoid it in that sense.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "molestar" mean?
Spanish "molestar" means "to bother / to annoy". It looks like the English "molest", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "molest" means "to sexually abuse".
Does English "molest" mean the same as Spanish "molestar"?
Spanish "molestar" means to mildly irritate or bother someone. English "molest" has a connotation of sexual abuse, especially toward minors. The legal and moral weight is completely different between the two languages.