Italian has the perfect word to complain about everything: fastidio. A person walks slower than us on the sidewalk and won’t move to the side? Che fastidio. Someone chewing with their mouth open two tables away? Mi dà troppo fastidio. Those high heels that looked so cute in the store but are now destroying our feet? Uuuh, un fastidio!
I must confess I’ve been using this word so much lately that I’m starting to wonder if I’m just becoming more insufferable with age. But that’s the thing about fastidio: it covers such a wide spectrum of human suffering that’s impossible not to use it, from physical discomfort (like a mosquito bite in that one spot we can never quite reach) down to pure existential annoyance (like the dread of hearing “we need to talk” again).
Basically, if something is bothering us, there’s a very high chance fastidio is the word for it. Let’s see how to use it in daily conversation so you, too, can complain like a true Italian!
fastidio
annoyance / bother
But first, some grammar. Fastidio is a masculine noun whose plural form is fastidi. It takes the following definite and indefinite articles:
- il fastidio
- i fastidi
- un fastidio
- dei fastidi
1. FASTIDIO = Annoyance / bother
In everyday Italian, fastidio is the word we use to describe that sense of irritation we feel when something or someone is bothering us.
Non poter parcheggiare sotto casa è un gran fastidio.
Not being able to park near your house is a real pain.
Il ministro ha risposto alle domande della giornalista con evidente fastidio.
The minister was clearly annoyed as he answered the journalist’s questions.
The construction you need to memorise is dare fastidio a qualcuno (literally “to give annoyance to someone,” meaning “to bother/annoy someone”). Once you know this one, you can consider yourself fluent in Italian complaining.
Vieni a sederti qui e smetti di dare fastidio a tua sorella.
Come sit here and stop bothering your sister.
The a qualcuno (to someone) part can get replaced with an indirect object pronoun (mi, ti, ci, etc.). So instead of dare fastidio a tua sorella (to bother your sister), you could say darle fastidio (to bother her). Here are a few more examples:
Questo maglione punge tantissimo, mi dà un fastidio tremendo.
This sweater is so scratchy, it’s bothering me terribly.
Puoi chiudere la finestra? Mi dà fastidio la corrente, non vorrei prendere un colpo d’aria.
Could you close the window? The draft is bothering me, I don’t want to catch a chill.
Dare fastidio can be followed by:
- che (that) + subjunctive
Ti dà fastidio che esca con un’altra?
Does it bother you that he’s going out with someone else?
- se (if) + indicative
Ti dà fastidio se esce con un’altra?
Does it bother you if he goes out with someone else?
Another expression you’ll hear a lot is che fastidio (what an annoyance / so annoying). We use it as a standalone reaction, like when someone cuts us in line and we let a che fastidio! fly.
Or, if we’re feeling a bit more articulate about your suffering, we can include it in a full sentence, like:
Che fastidio le persone maleducate!
Rude people are so annoying!
Literally: What annoyance (they are), rude people!
The Italian singer Ditonellapiaga has an entire song called Che fastidio! — give it a listen here and you’ll never forget this expression!
Finally, you might also hear us use the phrase provare un senso di fastidio (to feel a sense of discomfort), which is a slightly more formal version of che fastidio. It can refer to both emotional and physical sensations, like:
Ho provato un senso di fastidio entrando in quella stanza, non so spiegare perché.
I felt a sense of discomfort as soon as I walked into that room, I can’t quite explain why.
Provo un senso di fastidio quando qualcuno mi tocca il braccio mentre parla.
I feel a sense of discomfort when someone touches my arm while talking.
2. FASTIDIO = Discomfort / ache
Fastidio can also refer to a mild physical discomfort or ache (nothing that requires an ambulance, just our body complaining a little).
A: Le fa male qui?
Does it hurt here?
B: No, non è dolore, solo un fastidio.
No, it’s not pain, I just feel some discomfort.
Here are some verbs we generally use with fastidio when talking about some little ache:
- Avere un fastidio: to have a slight ache.
Ho un fastidio all’orecchio da stamattina.
I’ve had a slight ache in my ear since this morning.
- Sentire un fastidio: to feel a little ache.
La caviglia è guarita, ma sento ancora un fastidio se corro.
The ankle has healed, but I still feel a little ache when I run.
- Avvertire un fastidio: to perceive a little ache (a bit more formal, the kind of phrase a doctor might use).
Quando ha iniziato ad avvertire il fastidio al petto?
When did you start perceiving that little ache in your chest?
- Dare dei fastidi: to cause some discomfort, to bother.
Questo medicinale potrebbe dare dei fastidi allo stomaco.
This medication could cause some stomach discomfort.
3. FASTIDIO = Trouble / inconvenience
Finally, fastidio can refer to a minor issue, like a small inconvenience.
Dai, fammi pagare questa multa, così mi levo il fastidio.
Come on, let me pay this fine so I can get it out of the way.
We usually use it to say we don’t want to cause someone trouble, or to reassure someone that they’re not causing us any.
A: Sicura che non è un fastidio? Posso prendere un taxi.
Are you sure it’s not too much trouble? I can take a taxi.
B: Ma figurati, non è un fastidio. Passo comunque da quella zona.
No worries, it’s no bother. I’m passing by there anyway.
Now, remember dare fastidio from earlier? There’s also darsi fastidio, which literally translates to “to annoy/bother each other,” but can also mean “to trouble oneself” or “to go out of your way for something.” It’s fairly formal and not something you’ll hear every day, but worth knowing. It’s mostly used in the negative, usually when someone is politely turning down a favour. For instance:
A: Se vuole, posso accompagnarla io alla stazione.
If you want, I can take you to the station.
B: Davvero, non si dia fastidio, prendo un taxi.
Really, don’t bother, I’ll take a taxi.
The adjective FASTIDIOSO
Want to describe a person who is annoying? In that case, you’ll need the adjective fastidioso. Just don’t forget that, like many Italian adjectives, the ending needs to change based on the gender and number of the word it refers to:
- Fastidioso (masculine singular)
Luca ha un modo di fare davvero fastidioso, non lo sopporto.
Luca’s attitude is really annoying, I can’t stand him.
- Fastidiosa (feminine singular)
Questa tosse è troppo fastidiosa, non ne posso più.
This cough is so annoying, I can’t take it anymore.
- Fastidiosi (masculine plural)
Cerca di evitare certi commenti fastidiosi quando siamo in riunione.
Try to avoid those kinds of annoying comments when we’re in meetings.
- Fastidiose (feminine plural)
C’erano un paio di mosche fastidiose che non mi hanno fatto dormire.
There were a couple of annoying flies that didn’t let me get any sleep.
Valentina Nicastro is a travel writer in love with her home country, Italy. Having travelled widely around the globe, she realised there was more to explore closer to home and decided to put the passport aside for a while. When she is not immersed in documenting Italy, you’ll find her donning her communication consultant hat, weaving words as a content writer and bridging linguistic divides as a translator.
