Disturb vs You're making me very upset

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Disturb

Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb

You're making me very upset

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Disturb
 DisturbYou're making me very upset
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈstɜːb/","/dɪˈstɜːbz/","/dɪˈstɜːbd/","/dɪˈstɜːbɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈstɜːrb/","/dɪˈstɜːrbz/","/dɪˈstɜːrbd/","/dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //jʊəˈmeɪkɪŋ miː ˈvɛri ʌpˈsɛt//🇺🇸 //jərˈmeɪkɪŋ mi ˈvɛri əpˈsɛt//
Meaningto interrupt or bother someoneYou are making me feel very sad or angry.
ExamplePlease do not disturb me while I am working on this project.The news you shared is really upsetting me.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsdisturb the peace, disturb someone, disturb the flowfeel upset, deeply upset, making someone upset, upset about something, upset by news
Antonymscalm, soothe, pacify-
Common mistakesConfuse with 'interrupt' – they are similar but not the same., Use 'disturb' with 'to' – it's used directly with an object (e.g., disturb her, not disturb to her).Using 'upset' as a noun incorrectly (e.g., 'I have an upset')., Saying 'you're making me upsetted', which is incorrect., Confusing 'upset' with 'angry' without noting emotional differences.
Usage notesUse 'disturb' when someone is interrupted. It can sound rude if you say it while someone is working or focusing.Use this phrase when someone does something upsetting. It's neutral, so it's okay to use in most situations but may seem too direct in very formal contexts.

See it in real clips

Disturb
You're making me very upset

Frequently asked questions: Disturb vs You're making me very upset

What's the difference between Disturb and You're making me very upset?

Disturb: to interrupt or bother someone You're making me very upset: You are making me feel very sad or angry.

Which is more common: Disturb and You're making me very upset?

Disturb is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Disturb: Please do not disturb me while I am working on this project. You're making me very upset: The news you shared is really upsetting me.

Can I use Disturb and You're making me very upset interchangeably?

Not always. Disturb and You're making me very upset are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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