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
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Meanings
schwierig
difficult
Refers to a person who is hard to get along with because they are complicated, demanding, or moody.
EXAMPLE
Mein neuer Chef ist ein ziemlich schwieriger Mensch.
My new boss is quite a difficult person.
schwierig
difficult
Describes a situation, condition, or period of time marked by problems, worries, or hardship.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Jobverlust hatte er eine finanziell schwierige Zeit.
After losing his job, he had a financially difficult time.
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 schwer
heavy / difficult
When talking about tasks, schwer and schwierig can both mean that something is not easy to manage. Schwierig focuses especially on problems with understanding or solving something, while schwer can also emphasize the effort or strain required. The words are often interchangeable in this context, but they differ in this emphasis.
schwierig
Die Aufgabe ist schwierig, weil mehrere Regeln gleichzeitig angewendet werden müssen.
The task is difficult because several rules have to be applied at the same time.
schwer
Die Aufgabe ist schwer, weil ihre Bearbeitung sehr viel Mühe verlangt.
The task is difficult because completing it requires a great deal of effort.
In real life
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