embêter

to annoy, bother

verb ahn-beh-TEH Less Common

Usage Note

Embêter is a mild, informal verb equivalent to 'to bug, to pester'. The reflexive s'embêter means 'to be bored' or 'to bother doing something': ne t'embête pas avec ça ('don't bother with that'). It is softer than ennuyer in the sense of causing trouble, but nearly synonymous with it for boredom.

Examples

"Arrête de m'embêter avec ça."

Natural Translation

Stop bothering me with that.

Literal Translation

Stop of me-bother with that

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Ordering Food in French: Restaurant Phrases That Work

Order food in French with confidence: greet first, say je voudrais not je veux, ask for a carafe d'eau, answer quelle cuisson, and request the bill yourself.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

The Bonjour Rule: French Etiquette for Visitors

Always say bonjour before you ask, order, or pay in France — the unspoken rule that opens every door. A respectful visitor's guide to French etiquette.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Faire in French: To Make, To Do, and More

Faire in French means more than make and do: master faire vs rendre, weather and sports idioms, the causative, and the mistakes English speakers make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read