How do you say “A basket case” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is ein Nervenbündel, which literally means “a bundle of nerves”. English speakers use a basket case to mean someone unable to cope because of worry or distress. Fits someone extremely nervous. It is narrower than the English, which can also describe broader emotional distress. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
ein Nervenbündel
/aɪn ˈnɛʁvn̩bʏndl̩/
- Literal meaning
- “a bundle of nerves”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
87 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Ich war ein Nervenbündel” is a familiar way to describe yourself before a stressful event. It does not carry the English disability reference.
It still labels a person. “Ich war sehr nervös” is a gentler, more direct way to say I was very nervous.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Before the audition, I was a basket case and could barely eat.
German
Vor dem Vorsprechen war ich ein Nervenbündel und konnte kaum essen.
English
Waiting for news left him a complete basket case.
German
Durch das Warten auf eine Nachricht wurde er zum reinsten Nervenbündel.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-04