Molestar vs. fastidiar
Both 'molestar' and 'fastidiar' are Spanish verbs often used to express the action of causing annoyance or disturbance. However, there are nuances in their usage and connotations that make them distinct.
Molestar
'Molestar' generally means 'to bother' or 'to disturb'. It is often used in the sense of interrupting someone or something.
¿Te estoy molestando?
(Am I bothering you?)
No quiero molestarla mientras trabaja.
(I don't want to disturb her while she is working.)
La luz me molesta.
(The light is irritating me.)
Fastidiar
'Fastidiar' typically translates to 'to annoy', with a connotation of persistence or repetitiveness. This word suggests a more continuous, possibly even intentional, bothersome action.
El ruido de la construcción nos está fastidiando todo el día.
(The construction noise has been annoying us all day.)
No fastidies a tu hermano.
(Don't bother your brother.)
Ya me fastidia siempre tener que limpiar después de ti.
(It's already annoying having to always clean up after you.)
Summary
'Molestar' and 'fastidiar', while both meaning to disturb or annoy in English, are used in different contexts in Spanish. 'Molestar' is more general and tends to refer to disturbances or interruptions that might not be intentionally bothersome. In contrast, 'fastidiar' has an implication of persistent, potentially deliberate annoyance, like habitual actions that consistently bother someone over time.