French Conversation · Level 53
75 words
French word
énerver
Pronunciation
IPA/enɛʁve/
Meaning
- verbannoy
Example
Cette musique m'énerve.
This music annoys me.
More examples
Ne l'énerve pas, il a eu une journée difficile.
Don't annoy him; he has had a difficult day.
Core concept
Pressure on someone's nerves that turns a small irritation into visible impatience.
Common phrases
énerver quelqu'un
annoy someone
ça m'énerve
It annoys me
s'énerver contre quelqu'un
get angry with someone
Similar words
agacer: Irritate someone with a minor inconvenience or mildly unpleasant experience.
embêter: Trouble someone with bothersome behavior or conversation.
irriter: Make someone feel irritated or make their skin sore through unpleasant stimulation.
contrarier: Disappoint or frustrate someone when events do not go as hoped.
Definition in French
Provoquer l'irritation ou l'agacement chez quelqu'un.
Word origin
French énerver comes from Latin enervare, meaning to weaken by removing the sinews, and later developed the sense of causing nervous irritation.
Usage tips
- In Cette musique m'énerve, the music is the subject and m' marks the person affected, so the sentence means that the music irritates me.