nervioso
/neɾˈbjoso/
The Spanish word nervioso means nervous.
For a more formal way to express nervousness, you can use ansioso.
Which one should you use?
To describe a temporary state of feeling nervous, use the verb estar (estar nervioso) rather than ser.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the person or group being described. Use the feminine form nerviosa for a female. For a group of males or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural nerviosos. For a group of females, use the feminine plural nerviosas.
How do you pronounce it?
/neɾˈbjoso/
Did you know?
- The word nervio (the root of nervioso) can also refer to 'grit' or 'nerve' in the sense of courage. Someone with much nervio is seen as someone with great determination.
- While an English speaker might say they are 'on edge', a Spanish speaker might say they are con los nervios destrozados to describe being extremely stressed. This literally translates to having one's 'nerves destroyed'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, describing someone as nervioso might imply they are jittery or impatient rather than just anxious. It can describe a restless physical energy rather than just a mental state.
Examples in context
- Estoy muy nervioso por mi entrevista de trabajo mañana.I'm very nervous about my job interview tomorrow.
- ¡No puedo evitar ponerme nerviosa cuando hablo en público!I can't help but get nervous when speaking in public!
- Desde que me mudé a esta ciudad, me he sentido nervioso todo el tiempo.Since I moved to this city, I have felt nervous all the time.
- Estoy muy nervioso por el examen.I am very nervous about the exam.
- Estoy un poco nervioso por el examen.I am a little nervous about the exam.
- Él se siente muy nervioso antes de la entrevista.He feels very nervous before the interview.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are waiting for a big presentation to start.
- MateoSofía, estoy muy nervioso ahora mismo.Sofía, I am very nervous right now.
- SofíaTranquilo, Mateo, no tienes que estar nervioso.Calm down, Mateo, you don't have to be nervous.
- Mateo¿Crees que lo haremos bien?Do you think we will do well?
- SofíaSí, estamos muy preparados.Yes, we are very prepared.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nervioso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
