nervous about + event
Worry about something happening
Use nervous about with future situations or topics.
I am nervous about tomorrow's exam.
Nervous with prepositions
Nervous about and nervous of are the most common patterns. Other prepositions usually add time or situation details.
Quick answer
Which prepositions follow nervous?
Use nervous about for situations or events and nervous of mainly for fear of people or things. Nervous at can describe a reaction to something. In and before usually introduce situations or time expressions rather than direct complements.
She is nervous about the interview.
He is nervous of large dogs.
The audience grew nervous at the sudden silence.
He is nervous of large dogs.
The audience grew nervous at the sudden silence.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
nervous of + person or thing
Fear of someone or something
Nervous of is common in British English for fear or distrust.
She is nervous of strangers.
nervous at + stimulus
Reaction to something
Use nervous at for reactions to sounds, behaviour, or situations.
The horse became nervous at the loud noise.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
nervous about
They are nervous about the results.
worried about an event or topic
nervous of
The child is nervous of the dark.
afraid of something
nervous at
She laughed nervously at the question.
reaction connected to a situation
nervous in
He gets nervous in crowds.
in introduces the setting
nervous before
I always feel nervous before meetings.
before introduces time
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using nervous for
For does not normally follow nervous directly.
✕ She is nervous for the exam. ✓ She is nervous about the exam.Confusing in with the main pattern
In usually introduces a setting, not the object of worry.
✕ He is nervous in the presentation. ✓ He is nervous about the presentation.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. I am nervous ___ speaking in public.
2. The dog is nervous ___ strangers.
3. She feels nervous ___ interviews.
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Frequently asked questions
Is nervous of correct?
Yes. It is especially common in British English.
Can I say nervous in?
Yes, when in introduces the situation or environment, such as nervous in crowds.
What is the difference between nervous about and nervous of?
About usually refers to events or situations, while of often refers to fear of people or things.
Related preposition guides
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