einfach

Einfach is a common German word with several related meanings centered on the idea of not being complex. As an adjective it usually means easy, uncomplicated, or straightforward, and it can also describe something plain or unornamented. In some expressions it conveys “merely” or “single,” rather than multiplicity.

Etymology: Einfach comes from Old High German and earlier Proto-Germanic roots, built from ein- “one” and fach “fold” (or “layer”), literally “one-fold.” The semantic shift to “not complicated” reflects the sense of something simple or undivided.

Usage: Before a noun, einfach marks a straightforward, undemanding thing: eine einfache Aufgabe, ein einfaches Design. In a predicative position it means “is easy/is simple”: Das ist einfach. As an adverb it means “simply” or “just”: Mach es einfach; Das war einfach so. In travel terminology, eine einfache Fahrt means a one-way trip.

Nominalization and related forms: Das Einfache or Einfachheit expresses the quality of simplicity; the noun Einfachheit is more common in formal writing. Antonyms include kompliziert, schwierig, komplex. In usage, leicht and einfach overlap but convey different nuances: einfach emphasizes lack of complexity; leicht emphasizes ease or lightness.

In sum, einfach functions as a versatile term in German, describing ease, simplicity, plainness, or a single rather than multiple nature, with usages spanning adjectives, adverbs, and nominal forms.