Whether you’re nervous before a test or someone is just getting on your nerves, it’s incredibly helpful to know how to express that in German. Learning how to say nerves in German opens up a world of emotional and physical language that native speakers use all the time.
The word is die Nerven — plural only. That’s right: no singular form is normally used in everyday speech. If you need to reference a single nerve medically, it’s der Nerv. But for all practical purposes, especially emotional talk, it’s die Nerven. For help keeping articles and gender straight, watch my gender course.
Nerven is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and you’ll hear it often in stress-related conversations, jokes, and idioms.
Let’s see Nerven in all four cases:
Nominative:
Die Nerven liegen blank.
Nerves are on edge.
Accusative:
Sie verliert die Nerven.
She’s losing her nerves.
Dative:
Mit den Nerven am Ende.
At the end of one’s rope (with one's nerves).
Genitive:
Der Zustand der Nerven war kritisch.
The state of the nerves was critical.
Verbs like verlieren (to lose), haben (to have), beruhigen (to calm), strapazieren (to strain), and gehen auf (to get on someone’s nerves) all pair naturally with Nerven. For example:
Du gehst mir auf die Nerven! — You’re getting on my nerves!
Ich habe starke Nerven. — I have strong nerves.
Seine Nerven haben versagt. — His nerves gave out.
Adjectives include stark (strong), schwach (weak), blank (frayed/on edge), ruhig (calm), and nervös (nervous, from the same root).
Here’s a short beginner dialogue using the word naturally:
A: Wie war die Prüfung?
B: Meine Nerven haben total versagt!
A: How was the exam?
B: My nerves completely failed me!
Your turn! Think of your answer and say it aloud in German. Use Nerven in your sentence — don’t write it down, just speak.
“Wann waren deine Nerven zuletzt richtig angespannt – und warum?”
When were your nerves really tense — and why?
Saying your thoughts out loud in German activates the word and builds fluency.
German Word of the Day
Now you’ve learned how to say nerves in German, and how die Nerven appear in everyday emotional talk — from frayed feelings to inner calm. These kinds of words help you express real experiences in real German.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep learning through context-rich examples.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Neuigkeit — and learn how to share updates, surprises, or gossip.
Or revisit Nummer — and master practical vocabulary for daily life.