French Conversation · Level 103
60 words
French word
agacer
Pronunciation
IPA/agase/
Meaning
- verbannoy
Example
Ton retard m'agace.
Your lateness annoys me.
More examples
Il aime agacer ses amis en plaisantant.
He likes to annoy his friends by joking.
Core concept
Repeated little provocations that keep scratching at someone's nerves until patience gives way.
Common phrases
agacer quelqu'un
annoy someone
ça m'agace
That annoys me
s'agacer de quelque chose
get annoyed about something
Similar words
énerver: To provoke strong irritation or anger in someone.
irriter: To cause an unpleasant, prickling feeling of irritation.
embêter: To make someone feel bothered, inconvenienced, or fed up.
taquiner: To tease someone playfully in a mildly irritating way.
Definition in French
Provoquer l'irritation ou l'impatience chez quelqu'un, souvent par de petites actions répétées ou des remarques piquantes.
Word origin
The medieval verb agacier referred to provoking or teasing, and agacer later broadened to mean causing irritation or impatience.
Usage tips
- The reflexive form s'agacer means to become irritated, while agacer describes what causes the irritation, as in "Cette attente m'agace".