German Problems & Solutions Vocabulary
This set gives you the vocabulary for naming a problem and then talking your way through it: das Problem, die Herausforderung, and der Ausweg cover the range from plain trouble to challenge to way out. One trap here is der Ausweg vs. die Lösung: English speakers reach for Lösung for everything, but Ausweg specifically means an escape route from a bad situation, not just any correct answer.
Learn these 20 words
Spaced-repetition flashcards, straight in your browser. No sign-up, no install — the same review ladder Anki uses, on the words above.
All 20 words
plural: die Lösungen
solution
Die Lösung ist ganz einfach. — The solution is very simple.
plural: die Probleme
problem
Mein Problem ist die Sprache. — My problem is the language.
plural: die Hindernisse
obstacle
Wir müssen dieses Hindernis gemeinsam überwinden. — We must overcome this obstacle together.
- eignenB1
be suitable
Dieses Hotel eignet sich besonders für Familien mit Kindern. — This hotel is particularly suitable for families with children.
plural: die Herausforderungen
challenge
Das Spiel ist eine Herausforderung. — The game is a challenge.
- lösenB1
solve; dissolve
Wir müssen dieses Problem lösen. — We must solve this problem.
plural: die Schwierigkeiten
difficulty
Ich hatte große Schwierigkeiten, einen Parkplatz zu bekommen. — I had great difficulty finding a parking spot.
plural: die Taten
deed/action
Dieser Mensch hat mit vielen guten Taten geholfen. — This person has helped through many good deeds.
to overcome
Sie konnte ihre Angst endlich überwinden. — She was finally able to overcome her fear.
plural: die Auswegs
way out / resort / solution
Es gab keinen Ausweg aus dieser Situation. — There was no way out of this situation.
plural: die Dilemmata
dilemma / difficult choice
Das Dilemma hat keine einfache Lösung. — The dilemma has no simple solution.
workable / practical / feasible
Der Plan ist durchführbar und realistisch. — The plan is workable and realistic.
plural: die Engpässe
bottleneck / narrow pass
Der Engpass bei der Produktion muss gelöst werden. — The bottleneck in production must be solved.
- lösbarB2
solvable / soluble
Dieses mathematische Problem ist leicht lösbar. — This mathematical problem is easy to solve.
plural: die Lösungen
solution
Die Lösung für das Problem ist einfach. — The solution to the problem is simple.
plural: die Probleme
problem
Wir haben ein großes Problem. — We have a big problem.
plural: die Problemchen
hiccups (slang)
Das ist nur ein kleines Problemchen, keine Sorge. — That's just a minor hiccup, no worries.
plural: die Schlamassels
a mess / quagmire / mixup
Wir sind in einem Schlamassel und wissen nicht, was tun. — We are in a mess and don't know what to do.
plural: die Hemmnisse
a hindrance / impediment
Das größte Hemmnis für Fortschritt ist mangelnde Finanzierung. — The greatest impediment to progress is lack of funding.
plural: die Zwickmühlen
a catch-22 / dilemma
Wir sind in einer Zwickmühle gefangen. — We are caught in a catch-22.
How to learn this set
Notice the verb pair at the core of this set: lösen (to solve, also to dissolve or loosen) turns into lösbar (solvable) with -bar, the same pattern durchführbar follows from durchführen. Drill lösen and überwinden together as your two problem-solving verbs, since one is used with Probleme and the other with Hindernisse, and mixing them up is the most common mistake at this level. For the near-synonyms Problem, Schwierigkeit, Dilemma, Zwickmühle, and Schlamassel, build one example sentence per word using the same scenario (a missed train, a broken car) so the differences in intensity and formality stick rather than blur together.
More Society & Abstract word packs
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Problem and Schwierigkeit in German?
Das Problem is a problem you need to solve, often with a clear cause; die Schwierigkeit is more about the difficulty or strain of doing something. You can have Schwierigkeiten (difficulties) getting somewhere without there being one specific Problem to fix.
What is the difference between Ausweg and Lösung?
Die Lösung is a solution in the general sense, the answer to any problem, math or otherwise. Der Ausweg is narrower: it's literally a 'way out' of a bad or trapped situation, like an Ausweg aus der Krise.
Is Hindernis the same as Problem in German?
No. Das Hindernis is a concrete obstacle in your path, like a hurdle or barrier, and pairs with überwinden (to overcome). Das Problem is more abstract and pairs with lösen (to solve).
Other popular word packs
Free to start · no credit card
Words fade fast — spaced reviews make them stick.
Based on Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus · memory science, proven since 1885