What does it mean word for word?
The word is an adjective that literally describes something as being troublesome, bothersome or a nuisance.
Which one should you use?
While めんどくさい focuses on a task being a hassle, つまんないな is a casual way to say "what a drag" when you specifically mean something is boring. If you want to express that you are fed up or have had enough, use うんざりだ. For very casual or rough speech, especially among males, the final ai sound in めんどくさい is often transformed into ee to become めんどくせー.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
めんどくさい is an informal expression commonly used by children, teenagers and adults in casual settings to express annoyance or a lack of motivation. The form めんどくせー is considered slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something was a drag or was bothersome in the past, you change the final i to katta, resulting in めんどくさかった.
How do you pronounce it?
mendokusai
Did you know?
- The expression めんどくさい literally translates to 'smelling of trouble'. It combines the word for 'trouble' with a suffix that describes having a bad odor.
- The character Shikamaru Nara from the anime 'Naruto' is famous for using めんどくさい as a defining catchphrase to describe almost every aspect of his life.
- Using めんどくさい too frequently in a professional environment can be interpreted as a 'lack of spirit' or 'guts' rather than a simple comment on the workload.
Examples in context
- 宿題、めんどくさいなあ。Shukudai, mendokusai naa.Homework is such a drag.
- 掃除するのはめんどくさい。Souji suru no wa mendokusai.Cleaning is a hassle.
- 準備がめんどくさいよ。Junbi ga mendokusai yo.Getting ready is a drag.
Example conversation
Two students are talking about a heavy cleaning duty at school.
- 陽太 Yota明日の掃除当番、めんどくさいね。Ashita no souji touban, mendokusai ne.The cleaning duty tomorrow is a drag, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yui本当に。休みたかったなあ。Hontou ni. Yasumitakatta naa.Truly. I wanted to rest.
- 陽太 Yota結衣、手伝ってくれる？Yui, tetsudatte kureru?Yui, will you help me?
- 結衣 Yuiえー、それはめんどくさいよ。Ee, sore wa mendokusai yo.Ugh, that's a drag.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries めんどくさい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
