Cabrear
To annoy or infuriate someone — and cabrearse is to lose your temper. Strong, but not a swear word in Spain.
Related lesson: Fed Up in Spanish — Frustration Like a Native.
Hear it in context
Me cabrea que siempre llegues tarde.
It really annoys me that you always turn up late.
Se cabreó y se fue dando un portazo.
He got angry and slammed the door on his way out.
No te cabrees, que no merece la pena.
Don't get worked up, it isn't worth it.
Estoy cabreadísimo con el casero.
I'm furious with the landlord.
What It Actually Means
Cabrear means to make someone angry, and cabrearse to become angry. In Spain it is an everyday, informal verb for irritation, stronger than molestar but weaker than enfurecer.
The Family
- Cabreo — a fit of anger: tiene un cabreo enorme.
- Cabreado/a — angry.
- Cabrón — a related word whose meaning moves a lot between countries: cabrón.
Common Pitfall
Be careful with register: it is fine with friends and colleagues you know, though a bit informal for a formal email. Outside Spain it may sound coarser or be less common, so check with locals.