Cool MateNasty vs You’re disgusting
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nasty
InformalTop 2,000 (common)B2adjective
You’re disgusting
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Most common: Nasty
| Nasty | You’re disgusting | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnɑːsti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnæsti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //jʊər dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ//🇺🇸 //jʊr dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ// |
| Meaning | Very unpleasant or disgusting. | You are very unpleasant or very rude. |
| Example | She made a nasty comment that upset everyone in the room. | You’re disgusting for treating animals that way! |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little | you’re disgusting for, you’re disgusting to, you’re just disgusting |
| Antonyms | pleasant, nice, agreeable | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Nasty' is often confused with 'mean' — 'mean' refers to behavior, 'nasty' refers to unpleasantness., Using 'nasty' in overly formal contexts sounds inappropriate., Learners sometimes use 'nasty' as a synonym for 'bad' — it's more specific than that. | Using it as a joke with someone you don't know well., Not understanding the severity of the insult., Confusing with 'You're gross', which is more playful. |
| Usage notes | Use 'nasty' to describe something that is offensive or unpleasant. It's common in everyday conversation but may be considered rude in more formal situations. | Use with caution; it can be very offensive. Suitable for close friends during a playful argument but inappropriate in serious contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Nasty vs You’re disgusting
What's the difference between Nasty and You’re disgusting?
Nasty: Very unpleasant or disgusting. You’re disgusting: You are very unpleasant or very rude.
Which is more common: Nasty and You’re disgusting?
Nasty is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Nasty: She made a nasty comment that upset everyone in the room. You’re disgusting: You’re disgusting for treating animals that way!
Can I use Nasty and You’re disgusting interchangeably?
Not always. Nasty and You’re disgusting 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.