Expressing Annoyance: Mol

First, forget how English works. In English, you say "It bothers me." In Spanish, molestar works like gustar. The thing that annoys is the subject. You are the one affected. You use indirect object pronouns. These are me, te, le, nos, os, and les. If one thing annoys you, use molesta. If many things annoy you, use molestan. When you are annoyed by an action, we add que. This little word is a bridge. It connects your feeling to the action. Once you cross that bridge, the mood changes. This is where the Subjunctive comes in. It is the special outfit for verbs. We use it because you are expressing a subjective reaction. It is not a cold fact. It is your personal feeling.

1. 1Creating these sentences follows a clear path. Follow these four steps:
2. 2Pick your pronoun based on who is annoyed. Use me for yourself.
3. 3Add the verb molesta. Keep it singular for actions.
4. 4Place the word que right after molesta.
5. 5Change the next verb to the Subjunctive mood.
6. 6Let's look at a simple example. Start with me molesta. Add the bridge que. Then change tú hablas to tú hables. The full sentence is me molesta que hables. It sounds more natural than a textbook. It feels like real conversation. Just remember to swap the vowel at the end. For -ar verbs, use -e. For -er and -ir verbs, use -a. It is like a secret code for feelings.

Use this pattern for any daily gripe. Think about your morning routine. Does your brother sing in the shower? Say me molesta que cantes. Are you in a job interview? You might say me molesta que la gente llegue tarde to show you value punctuality. Be careful there, though! Keep it professional. Use it when ordering food too. If the waiter brings the wrong dish, you can be polite. Say me molesta que el plato esté frío. It is great for travel. Imagine someone cutting the line. You can say me molesta que no respetes la fila. It works for small bugs and big problems. It is very versatile. Use it whenever you feel that little spark of irritation.

Do not use the Subjunctive if you are the one doing the action. If I annoy myself, I use the infinitive. For example, me molesta llegar tarde. There is no que here. No que means no Subjunctive. Just keep the verb in its original form. Also, do not use it for simple nouns without actions. Me molesta el tráfico is indicative. It is a direct statement about a thing. You only need the Subjunctive when two different people are involved. One person feels the annoyance. The other person performs the action. If the subject does not change, the Subjunctive stays home. It is like a party that only starts when a guest arrives.

Many people forget the pronoun. They say molesta que... instead of me molesta que.... This makes it unclear who is bothered. Another big one is the n. Remember, molestan is for plural things. But for actions after que, always use the singular molesta. Even if three people are singing, the action of singing is one thing. Avoid using the regular present tense after que. Me molesta que vienes is wrong. It should be me molesta que vengas. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Just slow down at the bridge. Check your verb's outfit before it crosses. Finally, do not forget the accent marks on the pronouns if you add them to the end of infinitives. But for now, keep them at the start.

Molestar is like enojar. Both talk about being upset. However, molestar is often for smaller, daily nuisances. Enojar feels a bit stronger. It is like the difference between a pebble in your shoe and a flat tire. There is also fastidiar. This one is very common in Spain. It works exactly like molestar. You can swap them easily. Then there is indignar. Use that when you are truly offended. It is for big social issues or unfair treatment. Molestar is your "everyday" verb. It is safe for almost any situation. It is the bread and butter of expressing negative feelings in Spanish.