не́рвный
nérvnyj
The Russian word for nervous is не́рвный (nérvnyj).
Meaning: apprehensive, anxious (adj)
Which one should you use?
While не́рвный can mean 'nervous' in the sense of being high-strung or easily agitated, it is not the most common way to say 'nervous' when describing the feeling of anxiety before an event.
How do you pronounce it?
nérvnyj
Did you know?
- When describing the feeling of 'butterflies in the stomach' caused by nervousness, Russians often use the concept of ма́ндраж. This word is frequently used by performers to describe the intense, physical tremors of stage fright.
- In Russian, the word for 'nerve' нерв is a loanword from the Latin nervus, which originally referred to a tendon or a bowstring rather than a neurological fiber.
- To express extreme nervousness, Russians use the phrase трястись как осиновый лист, which means 'to shake like an aspen leaf'.
Examples in context
- Я очень взволнован перед своим первым собеседованием.I'm very nervous before my first interview.
- Я нервничаю перед важным экзаменом.I'm feeling nervous before a crucial exam.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nervous” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
