Which to use
“nervig” and “nervös” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #9,244
- “nervig” frequency rank
- #6,333
- “nervös” frequency rank
- 15577
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | nervig | nervös |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sehnig, kräftig, kraftvoll, stark, zäh; „den Eindruck angespannter Kraft vermittelnd“ | so, dass man schnell aufgeregt und reizbar ist |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set nervig and nervös apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. nervig ([ˈnɛʁfɪç]) and nervös ([nɛʁˈvøːs]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 15577, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
nervig is recorded at frequency rank #9,244, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈnɛʁfɪç]. nervös is at rank #6,333, tagged as anadj, pronounced [nɛʁˈvøːs].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 15577, this pair ranks #1,942,770 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of nervig vs nervös
Shared letters: enrv. Private to "nervig": gi. Private to "nervös": sö.
"nervig" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "nervös" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- nervig ← enrvig · nerivg · nerrvig · nervgi · nervigg · nervvig · nevrig · nnervig
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "nervig" and "nervös" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "nervig" or "nervös"?
Remembering nervig vs nervös
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “nervig” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable