“Perdón por molestar” is one of the most ordinary phrases in Spanish, said before asking a small favor, interrupting someone's work, or knocking on a closed door. It carries about as much weight as “sorry to bother you” does in English. The English word it resembles carries an entirely different amount of weight, and the gap between the two is the widest on this list.
Why This Gap Is Different From the Others
What does “molestar” actually mean in Spanish?
To bother, annoy, or disturb someone in a completely everyday sense — interrupting a phone call, asking for a moment of someone's time, or making a small request. It's polite, common, and carries no serious implication at all.
Why is saying “sorry to molest you” such a big mistake in English?
Because unlike most false friends, which shift tone or category, this one shifts severity. “Molest” in English describes a serious crime, not a minor inconvenience. The sentence goes from a polite apology to something a native listener can't casually let pass.
What should I say instead?
For the Spanish sense of molestar, native English speakers say “sorry to bother you,” “sorry to interrupt,” or “do you mind if I ask you something?” None of them carry any risk of being misheard.
Most false friends get a confused look and move on. This one doesn't. A native English speaker who hears “sorry to molest you” isn't confused, they're alarmed, and the conversation doesn't continue as though nothing happened. The mistake gets remembered long after the actual sentence is forgotten.
This is exactly what PopEar is for.
The alarm on a native speaker's face is a fast, physical reaction, faster than you'll have time to correct yourself. Getting ahead of it means “bother” and “interrupt” already feel automatic before you need them, which is exactly what PopEar's clips from real shows and movies train, matched to your level.
Try PopEar FreeEvery word on this list is worth getting right. This one is worth getting right before you ever need it, since there's rarely a second chance to explain what you actually meant.
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