Inklingo
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A person sitting on a chair with their hands clasped tightly, looking wide-eyed and slightly worried.

nerviosos

ner-BYOH-sohs

adjectivemA1
nervous?feeling worried or anxious
Also:jittery?shaking or physically uneasy,anxious?feeling uneasy about an upcoming event

📝 In Action

Mis hermanos están muy nerviosos por el examen de mañana.

A1

My brothers are very nervous about tomorrow's exam.

Ellos no son chicos nerviosos, suelen estar muy tranquilos.

A2

They aren't nervous boys; they are usually very calm.

Nos pusimos nerviosos cuando escuchamos el ruido.

B1

We got nervous when we heard the noise.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • inquietos (restless)
  • intranquilos (uneasy)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • estar nerviosos – to be nervous (right now)
  • ponerse nerviosos – to become nervous
  • ser nerviosos – to be nervous people (by nature)

💡 Grammar Points

Describing Groups

Use this form ('-os') when talking about a group of males or a mixed group of males and females. If the group is only females, you must change it to 'nerviosas'.

Feeling vs. Personality

Use 'estar' if they are feeling nervous right now, and 'ser' if they are generally nervous/anxious people by nature.

❌ Common Pitfalls

The 'Mixed Group' Rule

Mistake: "Using 'nerviosas' for a group of 10 women and 1 man."

Correction: You must use 'nerviosos'. In Spanish, even one male in a group makes the whole group description use the '-os' ending.

⭐ Usage Tips

Getting Nervous

In English, we say we 'get' nervous. In Spanish, use the phrase 'ponerse nerviosos' to show that change in emotion.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: nerviosos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly describes a group of 5 men who are currently feeling anxious?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

nervio(nerve) - noun
nerviosa(nervous (female singular)) - adjective
nervioso(nervous (male singular)) - adjective
nerviosismo(nervousness) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'nerviosos' for a group of women?

Only if there is at least one man in the group. If the group is 100% women, you must use 'nerviosas'.

What's the difference between 'ser' and 'estar' with this word?

'Estar nerviosos' means the people are feeling nervous in this moment. 'Ser nerviosos' means they are high-strung or anxious people as part of their personality.