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hard · adjective /hɑrd/Full view
Nouns: hardship, hardness
Adjectives: hard, hardened
Verbs: harden
Adverbs: hard, hardly
hard (DIFFICULT)
A1 difficult to understand or do
Dictionary examples:

There were some really hard questions on the test.

It's hard being an immigrant.

Her handwriting is very hard to read.

The game gets harder on every new level.

Learner example:

I don't like gram[m]ar. English gram[m]ar is hard for me. (Skills for Life (Entry 1); A1; Portuguese)

hard (SOLID)
A2 firm and stiff, and not easy to press or bend
Dictionary examples:

a hard surface

There was a heavy frost last night and the ground is still hard.

Learner example:

We have to bring with us three pencils, two hard pencils and one soft. (Key English Test; A2; Greek)

hard (USING EFFORT)
B1 needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort
Dictionary examples:

Go on - give it a good hard push!

It was hard work on the farm, but satisfying.

Learner example:

It's the perfect place to stay and relax after a week of hard work. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Portuguese)

be hard on sb
B2 to criticize someone too much, or to treat them unfairly
Dictionary example:

Don't be too hard on him - he's new to the job.

Learner example:

That's why I was a little hard on you at first. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

hard (UNPLEASANT)
C1 full of problems and difficult to deal with
Dictionary examples:

My grandparents had a very hard life.

The past few months must've been really hard for you.

Learner example:

It was a really hard time for all of us, but it passed and, I hope, will never come again. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Polish)

learn sth the hard way
C2 to learn something by experiencing a lot of problems or difficulty
Dictionary example:

He doesn’t want to take my advice, so I guess he’ll have to learn the hard way.

Learner example:

If you don't know the past, you're liable to live through it again as instead of deriving the lessons from someone else's experiences, you'll have to learn them the hard way, by trial and error. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Russian)

be hard on sb
C2 to make someone unhappy by causing them problems
Dictionary example:

Don’t be too hard on her – she’s just learning the job.

Learner example:

Also it was hard on our family only seeing my father late at night being tired or for a weekend, if he was not on a business-trip. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; German)

give sb a hard time
C2 to criticize someone and make them feel guilty about something they have done
Dictionary example:

His boss has been giving him a hard time.

Learner example:

I'm not saying that I wasn't normal or anything, I just gave my family a hard time sometimes. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Swedish)

hard feelings
C2 anger, unhappiness, or lack of trust
Dictionary examples:

I hope you don't have any hard feelings.

I'm sorry it didn't work out, but no hard feelings.

Learner example:

There were no hard feelings anymore. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

hard · adverb /hɑrd/
Nouns: hardship, hardness
Adjectives: hard, hardened
Verbs: harden
Adverbs: hard, hardly
hard (USING EFFORT)
A1 with a lot of physical or mental effort
Dictionary examples:

She tried very hard but she wasn't quite fast enough.

You'll have to work harder if you want to pass this class.

Learner example:

I don't like to work very hard and very late in [the] classroom and I don't like computer[s]. (Skills for Life (Entry 1); A1; French)

hard (WITH FORCE)
B1 with a lot of force
Dictionary examples:

It's been raining hard all day.

She kicked the ball as hard as she could.

Learner example:

It was a clo[u]dy day, the wind [was] blow[ing] hard, and the city was quiet. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

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