nervoso
/nerˈvo.zo/
The English word 'nervous' can be translated into Italian as nervoso.
nervoso is used to describe someone who is feeling apprehensive or anxious. Note that in Italian, nervoso can also mean 'irritable' or 'easily annoyed', a nuance that is not typically present in the English word 'nervous'.
Meaning: apprehensive, anxious (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes to agree with the subject: nervosa is used for a feminine singular subject, nervosi for a masculine plural subject and nervose for a feminine plural subject.
How do you pronounce it?
/nerˈvo.zo/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
When do people say it?
If you want to express specific feelings of nervousness informally, you might use the phrase avere le farfalle nello stomaco to mean 'to have butterflies in one's stomach' or avere il batticuore to mean 'to have palpitations'.
Did you know?
- While nervoso describes a mood, the phrase avere i nervi a fior di pelle describes a state where someone is so stressed that their 'nerves are at the surface of the skin'.
- The Latin root of nervoso refers to a 'sinew' or 'tendon' rather than the mind. In ancient contexts, strength and physical tension were the primary associations of the word.
- In Italy, if someone describes a person as una persona nervosa, they are often referring to a permanent personality trait of being high-strung rather than a temporary feeling of anxiety.
Examples in context
- Tom è solo nervoso.Tom is just nervous.This sentence is useful for describing a specific person's state using nervoso.Tatoeba #4196022 by Guybrush88, translation #2273255 by CK
- Io mi sento nervoso.I'm feeling nervous.This sentence shows how to express a personal feeling using nervoso.Tatoeba #2578639 by Guybrush88, translation #2247988 by CK
- Io non sono nervoso.I'm not nervous.This sentence shows how to use the negative form with nervoso.Tatoeba #2672974 by Guybrush88, translation #2214273 by Hybrid
- Ogni volta che lo vedo, ho il batticuore.Every time I see him/her, I have palpitations.
- Sono sulle spine perché sto aspettando una risposta importante.I'm on pins and needles because I'm waiting for an important answer.
- 423 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro is waiting for a job interview.
- AlessandroSono molto nervoso per questo colloquio.I am very nervous about this interview.
- SofiaNon essere nervoso, Alessandro, andrà bene.Don't be nervous, Alessandro, it will go well.
- AlessandroSpero che tu abbia ragione, Sofia.I hope you are right, Sofia.
- SofiaFai un respiro profondo e sorridi.Take a deep breath and smile.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nervous” translations and entries nervoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nervoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
