Inklingo

How to Say "jittery" in Spanish

The Spanish word forjitteryis nerviososA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1
adjectiveA1
shaking or physically uneasy
A person sitting on a chair with their hands clasped tightly, looking wide-eyed and slightly worried.

Examples

Mis hermanos están muy nerviosos por el examen de mañana.

My brothers are very nervous about tomorrow's exam.

Ellos no son chicos nerviosos, suelen estar muy tranquilos.

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

Nos pusimos nerviosos cuando escuchamos el ruido.

We got nervous when we heard the noise.

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.

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.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.