plague / nuisance
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plague
A great misfortune or disaster that affects many people or an entire region, often caused by a mass spread of pests or by a disease.
Die Heuschreckenplage vernichtete die gesamte Ernte des Landes.
The plague of locusts destroyed the country's entire harvest.
nuisance
Colloquially, a person or thing that is perceived as very annoying, disruptive, or exhausting.
Der kleine Bruder ist eine echte Plage, er nervt den ganzen Tag.
The little brother is a real nuisance; he gets on everyone's nerves all day.
The noun 'die Plage' (plague/nuisance) is closely related to the verb 'plagen' (to plague/bother). Both words share the basic idea of suffering, effort, or a major annoyance.
Die Mücken sind diesen Sommer eine echte Plage.
The mosquitoes are a real nuisance this summer.
In the sense of a disaster, 'Plage' (plague) is often used for a mass increase of animals. It can also appear as an ending in compound words such as 'Heuschreckenplage' (plague of locusts), 'Mückenplage' (mosquito plague), or 'Rattenplage' (rat plague).
Eine schreckliche Dürre war die größte Plage für die Bauern.
A terrible drought was the greatest plague for the farmers.
When 'Plage' (nuisance) describes a person or thing, this is always colloquial and slightly exaggerated. The fixed expression is often 'eine (echte) Plage sein' (to be a real nuisance).
Mit seinen ständigen Fragen ist der neue Kollege eine Plage.
With his constant questions, the new colleague is a nuisance.
furious
For die Pest, the input supports only the colloquial expression „auf jemanden pest sein“, not the name of a disease or a misfortune. By contrast, die Plage can refer to a great misfortune affecting many people or an entire region. The supplied comparison is therefore not supported by a meaning of Pest.
Die Krankheit wurde für die ganze Region zu einer schweren Plage.
The disease became a serious plague for the entire region.
Ich bin pest auf meinen Bruder, weil er mein Fahrrad genommen hat.
I’m furious with my brother because he took my bicycle.
