French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Nervous" in French: nerveux / nerveuse
nerveux / nerveuse
Nervous in French is nerveux for a man and nerveuse for a woman : je suis nerveux / nerveuse. It can mean tense before an event or irritable in temperament.
Before an interview
Je suis nerveux avant l'entretien.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce nerveux / nerveuse
Say it
nehr-VUH / nehr-VUHZ
/nɛʁ.vø/ /nɛʁ.vøz/
Nehr-VUH (nerveux), nehr-VUHZ (nerveuse). Soft final x silent in nerveux; z sound in nerveuse.
"Nervous" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| nerveux | nervous (m.) Masculine. | Masculine. |
| nerveuse | nervous (f.) Feminine. | Feminine. |
| être nerveux / nerveuse | to be nervous With être. | With être. |
| un rire nerveux | a nervous laugh Noun phrase. | Noun phrase. |
How to use nerveux / nerveuse in real life
- 1Before an interview
Je suis nerveux avant l'entretien.
I'm nervous before the interview.
Nerveux.
- 2Exam day
Elle est nerveuse ce matin.
She's nervous this morning.
Nerveuse.
- 3Waiting room
On est nerveux quand ça retarde.
We get nervous when it runs late.
Nerveux as group (mixed/default).
Mistakes English speakers make with nerveux / nerveuse
Incorrect: Je suis nervous.
Correct: Je suis nerveux / nerveuse.
Use the French adjective forms.
Incorrect: Elle est nerveux.
Correct: Elle est nerveuse.
Agree for gender: nerveuse.
Good to know
French also uses stressé(e) for stressed. Nerveux can sound slightly sharper—edgy or high-strung—so tone matters.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Calming down before going on stage
ChatPal
T'es nerveux ou ça va ?
Are you nervous or okay?
You
Un peu nerveux, ouais.
A bit nervous, yeah.
ChatPal
Moi aussi j'étais nerveuse hier.
I was nervous yesterday too.
You
On respire et on y va.
We breathe and we go.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Nervous" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Nervous" in French
How does gender work?
Nerveux (m.), nerveuse (f.), nerveux / nerveuses in the plural.
Nervous vs stressé?
Stressé(e) is stressed. Nerveux / nerveuse is nervous or tense.
How do I say a nervous laugh?
Un rire nerveux.
How do you pronounce nerveux?
Nehr-VUH; nerveuse is nehr-VUHZ.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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