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ermüdend
tiring
Physically or mentally demanding and making you tired.
example
Die lange Wanderung durch die Berge war sehr ermüdend.
The long hike through the mountains was very tiring.
ermüdend
tiring
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Meanings
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Usage tips
From verb to adjective
'Ermüdend' (tiring) is the present participle of the verb 'ermüden' (to tire). It describes an activity or thing that has the quality of making you tired. Many German adjectives are formed this way with the ending '-end'.
EXAMPLE
Die stundenlange Autofahrt im Stau war sehr ermüdend.
The hours-long car ride in traffic was very tiring.
Word family
The adjective 'müde' (tired) is contained in the word 'ermüdend' (tiring). The prefix 'er-' here expresses that something is brought into the state of being 'müde' (tired). Recognizing 'müde' helps with understanding.
EXAMPLE
Diese sich ständig wiederholende Aufgabe ist wirklich ermüdend.
This constantly repeating task is really tiring.
Context clue
Whether 'ermüdend' (tiring/tedious) means physical exertion or mental monotony is revealed by the context. With physical activities like 'Wanderung' (hike), it is about physical tiredness. With 'Diskussion' (discussion) or 'Vortrag' (lecture/presentation), it usually refers to mental fatigue caused by boredom.
EXAMPLE
Das Training war kurz, aber sehr ermüdend.
The training session was short but very tiring.
Typical collocations
In the sense of physically demanding, 'ermüdend' (tiring) is often connected with activities or conditions. Typical phrases are 'eine ermüdende Reise' (a tiring journey), 'ein ermüdender Aufstieg' (a tiring climb), or 'eine ermüdende Arbeit' (tiring work).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem ermüdenden Aufstieg genossen wir die Aussicht vom Gipfel.
After the tiring climb, we enjoyed the view from the summit.
Typical collocations
When 'ermüdend' (tedious) describes boredom, it is often used with nouns related to mental processes or communication. Common phrases are 'eine ermüdende Debatte' (a tedious debate), 'ein ermüdender Film' (a tedious film), or 'ermüdende Routineaufgaben' (tedious routine tasks).
EXAMPLE
Das Warten in der Schlange war eine ermüdende Erfahrung.
Waiting in line was a tedious experience.
Compare with
ermüdend vs langweilig
boring
'langweilig' and 'ermüdend' can both fit situations that you do not find pleasant. 'langweilig' mainly means: there is a lack of interest or variety. 'ermüdend' emphasizes more strongly that something makes you tired or becomes mentally exhausting. This can happen because of boredom, but also because of a lot of work, long conversations, or difficult tasks. If something is simply uninteresting, you are more likely to say 'langweilig'. If something drains your energy over time, 'ermüdend' is more precise.
ermüdend
Nach drei Stunden war die Diskussion für alle ermüdend.
After three hours, the discussion was tiring for everyone.
langweilig
Ich finde den Termin langweilig, weil immer nur dieselben Punkte besprochen werden.
I find the appointment boring because only the same points are discussed every time.
In real life
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