Useful English Word or Phrase to Boost Your English: Bit of a faff

What does it mean?

A faff (or "a bit of a faff") is a perfect British expression for something that is unnecessarily complicated, time-consuming, or disorganized. If you have to fill out ten forms just to get a library card, that’s a faff. It’s used to describe any task that feels like a lot of effort for very little reward.

Is it positive or negative?

Mildly negative.

When do you use it?

Use it when something feels like extra hassle or unnecessary effort.

Examples

Example 1: Setting it up is a bit of a faff.

Example 2: It is a bit of a faff, but it will be worth it.

Example 3: Filling out all that paperwork was a faff.

Question for you

What daily task feels like a bit of a faff?

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