01
schwierig
difficult
Not easy to manage, solve, or understand; requires effort or skill.
example
Das war eine wirklich schwierige Matheaufgabe.
That was a really difficult math problem.
schwierig
difficult
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'schwierig' (difficult) belongs to the word family of 'die Schwierigkeit' (the difficulty; the problem, the obstacle). When something is schwierig, it causes difficulties.
EXAMPLE
Die größte Schwierigkeit war, alle Termine zu koordinieren.
The greatest difficulty was coordinating all the appointments.
Sentence structure with 'zu'
'Schwierig' is very often used in the construction 'es ist schwierig, etwas zu tun' (it is difficult to do something). Here, 'es' introduces the sentence, and the infinitive with 'zu' describes the difficult action.
EXAMPLE
Es ist schwierig, ohne Vorkenntnisse einen Job zu finden.
It is difficult to find a job without prior knowledge.
Context clue
If 'schwierig' describes a task, a problem, or a question, it means 'not easy.' If it refers to a person, it means that it is hard to get along with that person.
EXAMPLE
Die Prüfung war sehr schwierig.
The exam was very difficult.
Typical collocations
To describe problematic phases of life or circumstances, 'schwierig' is often combined with nouns such as 'Zeiten' (times), 'Situation' (situation), or 'Lage' (position/situation).
EXAMPLE
Das Unternehmen befindet sich in einer finanziell schwierigen Lage.
The company is in a financially difficult situation.
Compare with
schwierig vs einfach
simple / just
'einfach' and 'schwierig' are opposites when talking about tasks, questions, or situations. Use 'einfach' when something is easy to understand or do. Use 'schwierig' when something requires effort, time, or a lot of thinking. They can be confused because both words often talk about the same area: how well you can solve or understand something. The practical difference is clear: 'einfach' means little problem; 'schwierig' means a big problem or many problems.
schwierig
Bei dem Termin ist die Entscheidung schwierig, weil viele Personen betroffen sind.
At the appointment, the decision is difficult because many people are affected.
einfach
Die Erklärung am Telefon war heute einfach und gut zu verstehen.
The explanation on the phone today was simple and easy to understand.
In real life
Loading video examples...