ich bin nervös
In German, "I am nervous" is expressed as ich bin nervös.
The phrase ich bin nervös is used to express that a person feels anxious or worried about something. Other ways to express this feeling include the polite phrase Ich fühle mich nervös (I feel nervous) or the colloquial expression Mir ist mulmig, which describes an uneasy, queasy feeling caused by nervousness.
Which one should you use?
While ich bin nervös implies anxiety or worry, the word aufgeregt can mean both "nervous" and "excited" depending on the context. For example, Ich bin etwas aufgeregt can be used to translate "I am a bit excited" to convey a mild sense of nervousness in a formal way. In contrast, ich bin aufgeregt generally means "I am excited."
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the German word nervös to mean "annoyed" or "irritated". However, in German, nervös specifically refers to being anxious or jittery.
Did you know?
- The word nervös comes from the Latin nervōsus, which originally referred to the sinews or tendons of the body rather than the psychological state of anxiety.
- While ich bin nervös means you are anxious, saying Du gehst mir auf die Nerven uses the same root to mean 'you are getting on my nerves' or 'you are annoying me'.
- To express a 'fluttering' feeling in the stomach due to nervousness, Germans often use the phrase Schmetterlinge im Bauch, meaning 'butterflies in the belly'.
Examples in context
- Ich bin nervös und habe Angst.I am nervous and scared.This sentence is useful for showing how to express being both nervous and scared using ich bin nervös.Tatoeba #2833294 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2833290 by Hybrid
- Ich bin aufgeregt über das VorstellungsgesprächI am nervous about the job interview
- Mir ist mulmig vor der PräsentationI feel queasy/nervous about the presentation
- Ich fühle mich nervös vor meiner PräsentationI feel nervous about my presentation
- Ich bin etwas aufgeregt vor dem VorstellungsgesprächI am a bit nervous about the job interview
- Bist du nervös wegen deiner Präsentation?Are you nervous about your presentation?
- Ja, ich fühle mich nervös, aber ich bin auch aufgeregt.Yes, I feel nervous, but I am also excited.
- Ich bin nervös vor der Prüfung.I am nervous before the exam.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bin, ich, nervös, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
