Meaning 1informal · 82%
To irritate someone through noise, interruptions, or other bothersome behavior.
Natural examples
Das laute Tropfen nervt mich beim Einschlafen.
The loud dripping annoys me while I fall asleep.
Seine ständigen Nachrichten nerven das ganze Team.
His constant messages annoy the whole team.
Nervt dich der Baustellenlärm auch so sehr?
Does the construction noise bother you this much too?
Usage note
Nerven takes an accusative object here: Der Lärm nervt mich. The informal question Was nervt? asks what is bothering someone.
Mini-lesson: nerven
To irritate someone through noise, interruptions, or other bothersome behavior. Nerven takes an accusative object here: Der Lärm nervt mich. The informal question Was nervt? asks what is bothering someone.
Check your learning
Choose one answer.Which definition matches «nerven»?