Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| irritante | /i.ʁiˈtɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /i.ʁiˈtɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
| chato | /ˈʃa.tu/ (Brazil) /ˈʃa.tu/ (Portugal) |
Both words describe something or someone that causes irritation. However, chato is a colloquial term that can mean both 'annoying' and 'boring' depending on the context. If you want to express a feeling of frustration toward an annoying situation, a common informal exclamation is Que saco!, which translates to 'How annoying!' or 'What a pain!'
Which one should you use?
Irritante is a stronger term used when something or someone is truly irritating. In contrast, chato can mean both 'annoying' and 'boring' depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Chato is widely used in Portugal. In Brazil, the intensified form chato pra caramba is commonly used to express annoyance.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because chato is an adjective, it must agree in gender with the noun it describes: use chata for feminine nouns. To describe a group of people or things, use the plural form chatos for masculine or mixed-gender groups and chatas for feminine groups.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of irritante is /i.ʁiˈtɐ̃.tʃi/. It has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable.
When do people say it?
When people encounter something frustrating or annoying, they often use the informal exclamation Que saco! to express their annoyance.
Did you know?
- The exclamation Que saco! literally translates to 'What a bag!'
- The word chato literally means 'flat' or 'level' in its historical roots. It evolved from the Latin word for 'flattened' to describe something as 'flat' or 'uninteresting', much like how English speakers might call a story 'flat'.
- In Brazil, people use chato pra caramba to intensify their annoyance, though caramba is actually a polite euphemism to avoid a stronger swear word.
Examples in context
- Tom é tão chato.Tom is so annoying.This sentence shows how to describe a person using chato.Tatoeba #5633558 by bill, translation #2647939 by CK
- Isso não é chato?Isn't that annoying?This sentence uses chato to ask if a situation is annoying.Tatoeba #418670 by brauliobezerra, translation #418631 by blay_paul
- Tu é muito chato.You're really annoying.This sentence uses chato to describe someone directly.Tatoeba #9964888 by Asury, translation #1360539 by Linking111
- Aquele colega de trabalho é muito chato.That coworker is very annoying.
- Essa música é chata.This song is annoying.
- Aquele barulho irritante não me deixa dormir.That irritating noise doesn't let me sleep.
- Essa situação toda é um pé no saco!This whole situation is so annoying!
- Aquele filme foi chato pra caramba.That movie was extremely annoying.
- Estou de saco cheio dessas interrupções constantes!I'm fed up with these constant interruptions!
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are at a cafe with loud music.
- BeatrizRodrigo, esse som está muito alto.Rodrigo, this sound is too loud.
- RodrigoSim, é realmente muito irritante.Yes, it is really very annoying.
- BeatrizVocê quer ir para outro lugar?Do you want to go somewhere else?
- RodrigoBoa ideia, Beatriz.Good idea, Beatriz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “annoying” translations and entries irritante, chato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chato, irritante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
