Vanskelege

Vanskelege is a Norwegian Nynorsk adjective meaning difficult or hard, used to describe something that is not easy to do or understand. It is the form used before plural nouns or in predicative position when the subject is plural. The corresponding singular form is vanskeleg, and in Bokmål the equivalent is vanskelige (plural) or vanskelig (singular).

In Norwegian grammar, adjectives agree with the number and definiteness of the nouns they modify. For example, before a plural noun you would say vanskelege oppgåver (difficult tasks), and you would also use vanskelege after a linking verb: Desse oppgåvene er vanskelege (These tasks are difficult). For a singular noun, the form is vanskeleg: Ein vanskeleg oppgåve (A difficult task).

Vanskelege frequently appears in education, journalism, and daily speech to describe problems, tasks, concepts, or situations that require effort, skill, or deeper understanding. It can be contrasted with easier or simpler equivalents such as enklare or lettare, depending on context and degree of difficulty. The word’s English equivalents are difficult or hard, and its closest Bokmål counterpart is vanskelige.

Related forms include the base adjective vanskeleg (singular) and the noun vanskelegheit or vanskelegheiter in some contexts, which convey the sense of difficulty as a condition or quality. In usage, vanskelege emphasizes plurality or a plural predicate, while vanskeleg signals a singular attribute. Overall, vanskelege is a standard, neutral term for describing difficulties in Norwegian.