nerwowym

Nerwowym is the instrumental singular form of the Polish adjective nerwowy, which means relating to nerves or the nervous system, and can also describe a nervous, tense, or easily agitated state in everyday language. As a form, nerwowym is used when the following noun is in the instrumental case, for example in phrases like z nerwowym napięciem (with nervous tension) or w nerwowym stanie (in a nervous state). The word nerwowy can therefore function in both a medical/scientific sense and a colloquial sense referring to temperament or mood.

Etymology and usage context: nerwowy derives from nerw, the Polish word for nerve. In medical or scientific contexts it appears in terms such as układ nerwowy (the nervous system) and zaburzenia nerwowe (nervous disorders). In everyday speech it describes a person who is anxious or tense, as in on jest nerwowy (he is nervous). The instrumental form nerwowym is part of normal Polish morphology and is used with masculine or neuter nouns in instrumental case.

Grammar notes: nerwowy is an adjectival form that agrees with its noun in gender, number, and case. Its feminine instrumental form is nerwową, and its plural instrumental form is nerwowymi. The use of nerwowym emphasizes the instrumental case requirement of the noun it modifies, whereas nerwowy in other cases would appear as nerwowy (nominative masculine), nerwowa (feminine), or nerwowe (neuter/plural as appropriate).

See also: nerw, układ nerwowy, zaburzenia nerwowe, nerwica, reakcja nerwowa.