Vocabulary
nerven
/ˈnɛʁfn̩/· verb
to annoy, to get on someone's nerves; to be annoying
Nerven is everyday spoken German for "to annoy": Das nervt! — said about a slow app, a noisy neighbour or a little brother who keeps asking the same question.
CEFR B1Frequency ●●●●●colloquial
Your memory
New
Learning
Familiar
Strong
Mastered
Conjugation
- ich
- nerve
- du
- nervst
- er/sie/es
- nervt
- wir
- nerven
- ihr
- nervt
- sie/Sie
- nerven
Perfekt hat genervtPräteritum nervte
One word, many lives
Tap a meaning. Real German isn't a dictionary translation.
nerven
to annoy (someone)
Mein kleiner Bruder nervt mich, weil er ständig in mein Zimmer kommt.
My little brother annoys me because he keeps coming into my room.
Word family
nervennervigannoyinggenervtannoyed, fed upder Nervnervenervösnervous
Common combinations
- Das nervt!That's so annoying!
- Du nervst!You're getting on my nerves!
- jemandem auf die Nerven gehento get on someone's nerves
- total genervt seinto be totally fed up
Similar & opposite
≈ Synonyms
ärgernstören
Common learner mistakes
- Ich bin nervig. (= I'm annoyed)Ich bin genervt.nervig describes the person or thing that annoys; the person who is annoyed is genervt.
Real examples
- Kannst du bitte leiser sein? Die laute Musik nervt mich wirklich.Can you please be quieter? The loud music is really getting on my nerves.
- Der Nachbar hat uns den ganzen Sonntag mit seinem Rasenmäher genervt.The neighbour annoyed us all Sunday with his lawnmower.
- Hör auf zu fragen, ob wir bald da sind, du nervst!Stop asking whether we're nearly there, you're getting on my nerves!
