Nervous in Different Languages
Discover 'Nervous' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'nervous' is a common English term that holds great significance in our daily lives. It describes a state of anxiety or apprehension, often associated with high-stress situations. From job interviews to first dates, we've all experienced being 'nervous' at some point.
But did you know that the term 'nervous' has cultural importance beyond English-speaking communities? Its translation in different languages can offer unique insights into how various cultures perceive and express this human emotion. For instance, in Spanish, 'nervioso' (nervous) is often used to describe someone who is high-strung or easily agitated. Meanwhile, in German, 'nervös' (nervous) can also mean 'annoying' or 'irritating' when referring to a situation.
Understanding the translation of 'nervous' in different languages can help break down cultural barriers and foster global understanding. It's an exciting journey into the nuances of language and emotion that every curious mind should embark on.
So, without further ado, let's explore how 'nervous' is translated in various languages around the world:
Nervous
Nervous in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | senuweeagtig | ||
| Senuweeagtig comes from the Dutch word "zenuwachtig," but also has connotations of "frail" or "delicate." | |||
| Amharic | ነርቭ | ||
| The word "ነርቭ" in Amharic can also refer to a tendon or ligament in the body. | |||
| Hausa | m | ||
| Hausa "m" can also mean "lazy" or "slow". | |||
| Igbo | ụjọ | ||
| The Igbo word "ụjọ" not only means "nervous" but also "fear" or "dread." | |||
| Malagasy | natahotra | ||
| Natahotra derives from the verb `tahotra` 'to fear,' which itself derives from the Proto-Austronesian (PAN) root *taku 'to fear, to be frightened.' | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamanjenje | ||
| The Chichewa word 'wamanjenje' also alludes to 'nervous instability', 'fright', or 'anxiety'. | |||
| Shona | huta | ||
| In Shona, the word "huta" can also mean "eager" or "anxious". | |||
| Somali | cabsi leh | ||
| The word "cabsi leh" can also refer to a state of "fear" or "anxiety" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | ho tshoha | ||
| Swahili | neva | ||
| The Swahili word "neva" derives from the Arabic word "nawwar", meaning "anxious". | |||
| Xhosa | luvalo | ||
| The word "luvalo" originates from the IsiXhosa word "ukuthwala" meaning "to carry" and colloquially refers to the "heaviness" associated with nervousness or anxiety. | |||
| Yoruba | aifọkanbalẹ | ||
| Aifọkanbalẹ | |||
| Zulu | uvalo | ||
| 'Uvalo' is also a name for a Zulu woman, meaning 'a gentle breeze' | |||
| Bambara | dimilen | ||
| Ewe | le vᴐvᴐm | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwoba | ||
| Lingala | nkandankanda | ||
| Luganda | okweraliikirira | ||
| Sepedi | tšhogile | ||
| Twi (Akan) | suro-fɛreɛ | ||
Nervous in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | متوتر | ||
| The word "متوتر" can also mean "tense" or "anxious". | |||
| Hebrew | עַצבָּנִי | ||
| The word 'עַצבָּנִי' (tsa-va-ni) can also mean 'irritable' or 'annoyed' in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | اعصاب | ||
| The word “اعصاب” has been taken from Arabic and refers to the nerves that allow communication between the brain and other body parts in general. | |||
| Arabic | متوتر | ||
| The word "متوتر" can also mean "tense" or "anxious". | |||
Nervous in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shqetësuar | ||
| 'Shqetësuar' comes from the Proto-Albanian root *skьt- 'to agitate', and is related to the Albanian word 'shqet' (anxiety). | |||
| Basque | urduri | ||
| The word "urduri" can also mean "anxious" or "apprehensive". | |||
| Catalan | nerviós | ||
| The word "nerviós" in Catalan can also mean "tendinous" or "stringy". | |||
| Croatian | živčani | ||
| The word "živčani" in Croatian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "*živъ", meaning "alive" or "lively". | |||
| Danish | nervøs | ||
| The Danish word "nervøs" can also be used to describe a horse that is easily frightened, or a situation characterized by tension and anxiety. | |||
| Dutch | nerveus | ||
| In Dutch, "nerveus" also means "sinewy" | |||
| English | nervous | ||
| "Nervous" derives from the Latin "nervus" meaning sinew or tendon, and also "nervosus" meaning sinewy or vigorous. | |||
| French | nerveux | ||
| Nerveux, from the Latin nervosus, can also mean 'full of sinew', 'strong' or 'sinewy' | |||
| Frisian | senuweftich | ||
| The West Frisian word "senuweftich" is cognate to the English word "sinewy". | |||
| Galician | nervioso | ||
| In Galician, "nervioso" can also mean "sinewy" or "stringy". | |||
| German | nervös | ||
| "Nervös" derives from Latin "nervus" (sinew, nerve) and used to mean "sinewy, strong" before shifting to "anxious, nervous". | |||
| Icelandic | taugaóstyrkur | ||
| The word taugaóstyrkur also means 'muscle strength' | |||
| Irish | neirbhíseach | ||
| Italian | nervoso | ||
| In Italian, "nervoso" also means "veiny" (a particular type of marble), "sinewy," "vigorous," or "robust." | |||
| Luxembourgish | nervös | ||
| "Nervös" can also mean "irritable" or "anxious" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | nervuża | ||
| The word "nervuża" comes from the Latin word "nervosus", which means "full of nerves." | |||
| Norwegian | nervøs | ||
| "Nervøs" in Norwegian is derived from the Latin "nervus," meaning "sinew," and originally meant "touchy" or "fractious." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | nervoso | ||
| The Portuguese word "nervoso" has a Latin root, "nervus," and also means "sinewy" or "muscular" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | nearbhach | ||
| "Nearbhach" may also refer to a horse that shies or starts easily, as can be inferred from the fact that the Irish word "nearbhach" means "fractious" or "shy". | |||
| Spanish | nervioso | ||
| Nervioso can also mean 'sinewy' or 'fibrous'. | |||
| Swedish | nervös | ||
| The word 'nervös' in Swedish can also mean 'sinewy' or 'veined'. | |||
| Welsh | nerfus | ||
| The Welsh word 'nerfus' is derived from the Latin 'nervosus' meaning 'sinewy' or 'full of energy'. | |||
Nervous in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | нервовы | ||
| Беларуское слово "нервовы" значит также "опасный" или "беспокойный", это калька с польского прилагательного "nerwowy" | |||
| Bosnian | nervozan | ||
| The word 'nervozan' in Bosnian can also refer to 'anxious' or 'agitated'. | |||
| Bulgarian | нервен | ||
| The word "нервен" (nervous) in Bulgarian also means "irritable, touchy". | |||
| Czech | nervový | ||
| In Czech, "nervový" also refers to the physical nervous system and related disorders. | |||
| Estonian | närviline | ||
| The word "närviline" in Estonian, meaning "nervous," is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "närvi," meaning "sinew, nerve," and the suffix "-line," meaning "full of." | |||
| Finnish | hermostunut | ||
| The word "hermostunut" derives from the Finnish word "hermo" (nerve), indicating a state of agitation or heightened sensitivity. | |||
| Hungarian | ideges | ||
| The word "ideges" in Hungarian is derived from the Turkish word "idris", meaning "anger". | |||
| Latvian | nervozs | ||
| The word "nervozs" can also refer to a state of agitation or restlessness. | |||
| Lithuanian | nervinga | ||
| The Lithuanian word "nervinga" derives from the Slavic word "nervъ", meaning "sinew" or "nerve", and can also mean "strong", "sturdy", or "forceful". | |||
| Macedonian | нервозен | ||
| The word "нервозен" (nervous) in Macedonian comes from the Greek word "νευρικός" (nervous), which in turn comes from the Greek word "νεῦρον" (nerve). | |||
| Polish | nerwowy | ||
| "Nerwowy" in Polish can also mean "related to nerves" or "full of nerves". | |||
| Romanian | agitat | ||
| In Romanian, "agitat" also means "stirred" or "agitated" (as in "agitated water"), reflecting its origin in the Latin word "agito," meaning "to set in motion". | |||
| Russian | нервный | ||
| The Russian word "нервный" (nervous) can also mean "sinewy" or "tendinous". | |||
| Serbian | нервозан | ||
| The word "нервозан" in Serbian can also mean "irritable" or "edgy". | |||
| Slovak | nervózny | ||
| The word "Nervózny" in Slovak originated from the Medieval Latin word "nervosus" meaning "strong" or "full of nerves or vigour". | |||
| Slovenian | živčen | ||
| The word "živčen" in Slovenian can also refer to a plant called "common valerian". | |||
| Ukrainian | нервовий | ||
| The word "нервовий" in Ukrainian comes from the same root as the word "нерв," meaning "nerve". | |||
Nervous in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্নায়বিক | ||
| স্নায়বিক is derived from the Sanskrit word 'snāyu' meaning 'sinew, nerve'. | |||
| Gujarati | નર્વસ | ||
| નર્વસ originates from the Latin word nervus, meaning sinew; hence, it is related to strength. | |||
| Hindi | बेचैन | ||
| The Hindi word "बेचैन" can also mean "restive", "anxious" or "uneasy". | |||
| Kannada | ನರ | ||
| "ನರ" (nara) is also used in Kannada to refer to veins or blood vessels, particularly in the context of traditional medicine and anatomy. | |||
| Malayalam | നാഡീവ്യൂഹം | ||
| The word "നാഡീവ്യൂഹം" literally means "system of tendons" in Sanskrit, and is a cognate of the English word "nerve". | |||
| Marathi | चिंताग्रस्त | ||
| The word "चिंताग्रस्त" is derived from the Sanskrit word "चिंता" meaning "worry" and "ग्रस्त" meaning "afflicted by". It can also mean "mentally disturbed" or "anxious". | |||
| Nepali | नर्भस | ||
| The word 'नर्भस' in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word 'नर्ब', meaning 'sinew' or 'nerve'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਘਬਰਾਇਆ | ||
| The Punjabi word ਘਬਰਾਇਆ can also be used to describe someone who is confused or restless. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්නායු | ||
| Tamil | பதட்டமாக | ||
| The word 'பதட்டமாக' originates from the Sanskrit word 'पदट' (padat), meaning 'to step' or 'to move', and suggests a state of anxiety or apprehension. | |||
| Telugu | నాడీ | ||
| The word "నాడీ" can also refer to a pulse, a nerve, a vein, or a channel. | |||
| Urdu | گھبرائے ہوئے | ||
Nervous in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 紧张 | ||
| The word "紧张" also means "tense" or "intense". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 緊張 | ||
| The word "緊張" literally means "tight string" in Chinese and refers to feelings of tension and anxiety or the state of being tightly strung (prepared). | |||
| Japanese | 神経質 | ||
| The word 神経質 (nervous) is also used to describe someone or something that is easily disturbed or sensitive, or that pays excessive attention to details. | |||
| Korean | 긴장한 | ||
| 긴장한 can also refer to a tight, tense, or rigid state, such as a tightrope or a tense muscle. | |||
| Mongolian | мэдрэлийн | ||
| The word "мэдрэлийн" can also refer to sensations, feelings, or emotions, not just nervousness. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အာရုံကြော | ||
Nervous in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gugup | ||
| An old alternate spelling, "ggup", suggests an etymology from Javanese "nggupug," meaning "nervous". This spelling remains current, particularly in written form. | |||
| Javanese | gugup | ||
| The word "gugup" in Javanese also means "flinching" or "startled", and is related to the word "kejut" which means "shock". | |||
| Khmer | ភ័យ | ||
| The word "ភ័យ" ("nervous") in Khmer can also refer to fear, danger, or risk. | |||
| Lao | ປະສາດ | ||
| In the context of old architecture, “ປະສາດ” can refer to a tower or a pavilion. | |||
| Malay | gementar | ||
| "Gementar" also means to shake or shiver in Indonesian and Dutch. | |||
| Thai | ประหม่า | ||
| "ประหม่า" means "nervous," but it also refers to a specific nerve center in the body | |||
| Vietnamese | lo lắng | ||
| "Lo lắng" (nervous) is related to the word "lắng" (calm) and "lọ" (bottle) suggesting a state of inner turmoil like a bottle being shaken. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kinakabahan | ||
Nervous in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əsəbi | ||
| 'Əsəbi' ('nervous') comes from the word 'səb' ('firmness'), referring to the firmness and determination of the person, hence the word's meaning is 'firm' and 'serious', not 'nervous'. | |||
| Kazakh | жүйке | ||
| The Kazakh word "жүйке" (nervous) is derived from the Persian word "جوی" (stream), referring to the flow of bodily fluids that were believed to affect mood and behavior. | |||
| Kyrgyz | нервдүү | ||
| Although not a perfect rhyme, нөрвдүү is likely related to нерв or nerve in many Indo-European languages and could have similar meanings such as sinew or tendon as well as a nervous agitation, and has other potential meanings depending on context including bold, quick, sharp, or agile | |||
| Tajik | асабонӣ | ||
| The noun «асабонӣ» comes from the Persian word meaning 'sickness' (asab) | |||
| Turkmen | nerw | ||
| Uzbek | asabiy | ||
| Uyghur | نېرۋا | ||
Nervous in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hopohopo | ||
| "Hopohopo" also means "quivering" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | manukanuka | ||
| The word "manukanuka" also means "twitching" in the context of a muscle spasm. | |||
| Samoan | popole | ||
| ‘Popole’ can also mean the goosebumps you get when you're exposed to the cold air or when something scares you. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kinakabahan | ||
| The root word “kaba” in “kinakabahan” originally meant “to be afraid” or “to be frightened”. | |||
Nervous in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | phiñasita | ||
| Guarani | py'atytýi | ||
Nervous in International Languages
| Esperanto | nervoza | ||
| The Esperanto word "nervoza" can also be used to describe someone who is easily agitated or excitable. | |||
| Latin | nervous | ||
| The Latin word "nervosus" means "sinewy," "strong," or "vigorous." | |||
Nervous in Others Languages
| Greek | νευρικός | ||
| The Greek word "νευρικός" (nervous) derives from the Greek noun "νεύρο" (nerve), which relates to the physical and emotional states associated with nerves. | |||
| Hmong | tshee | ||
| The word "tshee" in Hmong can also mean "to be shy" or "to be modest." | |||
| Kurdish | rehok | ||
| The Kurdish word "rehok" also refers to a type of fabric or a kind of dance. | |||
| Turkish | sinirli | ||
| In Turkish, the word "sinirli" also means "irritable" or "edgy" and derives from the Arabic word "sinir" meaning "anger". | |||
| Xhosa | luvalo | ||
| The word "luvalo" originates from the IsiXhosa word "ukuthwala" meaning "to carry" and colloquially refers to the "heaviness" associated with nervousness or anxiety. | |||
| Yiddish | נערוועז | ||
| "נערוועז" in Yiddish derives from the Slavic root *nervъ* "string, tendon" and originally referred to physical symptoms associated with anxiety. | |||
| Zulu | uvalo | ||
| 'Uvalo' is also a name for a Zulu woman, meaning 'a gentle breeze' | |||
| Assamese | স্নায়ৱিক | ||
| Aymara | phiñasita | ||
| Bhojpuri | अउंजाइल | ||
| Dhivehi | ހާސްވުން | ||
| Dogri | बे-चैन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kinakabahan | ||
| Guarani | py'atytýi | ||
| Ilocano | nerbios | ||
| Krio | fred | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نیگەران | ||
| Maithili | घबरायल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯃꯝꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | zam | ||
| Oromo | nahuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ନାୟୁ | ||
| Quechua | mancharisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | अधीरः | ||
| Tatar | нерв | ||
| Tigrinya | ድንጉፅ | ||
| Tsonga | ku chava | ||