Forståeligt

Forståeligt is a Scandinavian adjective meaning “easy to understand” or “understandable.” It is commonly used in Danish to describe information, explanations, or instructions that can be grasped without difficulty. The word can also function as an adverb or predicative complement, as in Det er forståeligt (That is understandable). In Norwegian Bokmål the closest form is forståelig, and in Swedish the cognate form is förståelig. The Danish spelling with -eligt is typical of the regional pattern, while Norwegian and Swedish use a more streamlined -elig ending.

Etymology and cognates: The term is built from the prefix for- and the verb forstå (“to understand”) plus the common adjective suffix -eligt, yielding a sense of “able to be understood.” This construction is part of a broader Germanic pattern, resulting in parallel forms across Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish with minor orthographic differences (forståeligt in Danish; forståelig in Norwegian; förståelig in Swedish).

Usage: Forståeligt is widely used in education, media, and everyday speech to indicate that a statement, explanation, or text is clear. Examples include: Det er forståeligt, at du er træt efter den lange dag. En forståelig forklaring kan gøre emnet tydeligt. In Norwegian and Swedish, equivalent phrases use their respective forms: Dette er forståelig (Norwegian) and Detta är förståelig (Swedish). When something is not easily understood, alternatives such as vanskelig å forstå or kompliceret can be used.

See also: Understandability, clarity, and related terms in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.