Meaning
nerve
- nerve (anatomy)
- sinew, tendon; vein (of a leaf)
- (pl.) nerves, irritability
In a sentence
Il medico ha controllato se il nervo fosse infiammato.
The doctor checked whether the nerve was inflamed.
Quel rumore continuo mi sta dando sui nervi.
That continuous noise is getting on my nerves.
Non toccare quel nervo, mi fa molto male.
Don't touch that nerve, it really hurts.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| nervo | masculine · singular |
| nervi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For emotional agitation, Italian often uses the plural: avere i nervi, essere sui nervi, avere i nervi a fior di pelle.
- Do not use nervo for blood vessels in modern standard Italian; vena means vein. The overlap is old or specialized.
- For courage or audacity, Italian usually prefers coraggio or faccia tosta, not nervo.