nur
merely
The German word 'nur' is used to express the idea of 'merely' or 'only'. It is often used to limit the scope of a statement or to express that something is not as significant as it might seem. For example, 'Es ist nur ein kleines Problem' means 'It is merely a small problem'.
Example sentences using: nur
Ich habe nur ein Fahrrad
I only have one bicycle
The German word 'nur' corresponds to 'only' in English. In this phrase, nur is used to indicate limitation, meaning the speaker has only one bicycle.
Wir haben nur noch eine Stunde Zeit
We only have one hour left
Here, 'nur' is used alongside 'noch' (still) to communicate a sense of urgency or a looming deadline. The phrase literally translates to 'We still only have one hour time'.
Es ist nur Wasser
It is only water
In this phrase, 'nur' is used to downplay or simplify something. The speaker uses 'nur' to emphasize that it is nothing more than water.