svärhet

Svårhet is a Swedish abstract noun that denotes the quality or state of being difficult. It can refer to intellectual difficulty, practical obstacles, or the severity of a situation. The term is formed from the adjective svår and the suffix -het, which creates a generalized property rather than a specific instance.

In Swedish, svårhet is often used in more formal or literary contexts. In everyday speech, svårighet is more common when talking about a concrete problem or challenge. Svårhet tends to emphasize the character of difficulty itself as an abstract trait rather than a particular hurdle.

Common usages describe the level or nature of difficulty, for example: "stor svårhet att uppfylla kraven" (great difficulty in meeting the requirements) or "svårheten i att förstå teorin" (the difficulty of understanding the theory). The word can also appear in plural as svårheter to discuss multiple difficulties.

Synonyms and near-synonyms include svårighet, problem, hinder, besvär, and komplexitet, each with slightly different nuances. Antonyms such as lätthet or enkelhet express ease rather than difficulty.

Etymologically, svårhet shares its root with the adjective svår, meaning difficult, and inherits the general sense of a persistent quality rather than a single obstacle. Cognates appear in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish sværhed and Norwegian sværhet.

See also: svårighet, besvär, hinder, komplexitet, lätthet, enkelhet.