🪜😓

How to Say ‘Only stairs are still a struggle’ in German

Nur Treppen sind noch mühsam

noor TREP-pen zint nohkh MUE-zahm

[noor TREP-pen zint nohkh MUE-zahm]

Phrase Breakdown

Nur Treppen

noor TREP-pen

Only stairs

'die Treppe' means a staircase, and 'Treppen' is the plural. Roll or rasp the r slightly.

Example

Nur Treppen mag ich nicht.

It's only stairs I don't like.

Words in this phrase

Nur

[noor]

only

No more than; exclusively.

Example

Nur du kannst das tun.

Only you can do that.

Treppen

[TREP-pen]

stairs

Plural of 'die Treppe'.

Example

Die Treppen sind steil.

The stairs are steep.

sind noch mühsam

zint nohkh MUE-zahm

are still hard work

'mühsam' means tiring or laborious. The ü is made by saying 'ee' with rounded lips, and the h is silent: MÜÜ-sam.

Example

Die ersten Tage sind noch mühsam.

The first days are still hard.

Words in this phrase

sind

[zint]

are

Present tense of 'to be'.

Example

Wir sind müde.

We are tired.

noch

[nohkh]

Still

Refers to continuing in time.

Example

Ich bin noch am Arbeiten.

I am still working.

mühsam

[MUE-zahm]

tiresome; hard

Adjective for something requiring a lot of effort.

Example

Das Gehen ist mühsam.

Walking is hard work.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Berlin bureaucracy requires real German. This app got me from zero to handling my Anmeldung appointment in three weeks. My coworkers couldn’t believe it.”

Emma L., 27, UX Researcher

“Relocated to Munich with my family. The everyday scenarios — grocery shopping, doctor visits, school meetings — are exactly what we needed to settle in.”

Marcus J., 40, Engineer

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer