sværheden

Sværheden is a Danish noun meaning the quality or state of being difficult. It denotes the level of challenge or complexity associated with a task, problem, or situation. The definite form sværheden is used when referring to a particular difficulty.

Etymology and form: sværheden is formed from the adjective svær (difficult) with the abstract-noun suffix -hed, producing a general notion of difficulty or severity. In Danish, sværheden is most common in formal, analytical, or descriptive writing about challenges, and it can describe both cognitive difficulties and practical or situational complexity.

Usage and nuance: sværheden can refer to how hard something is to understand, accomplish, or endure, as well as to the inherent severity of a circumstance. It is often contrasted with synonyms such as vanskelighed (difficulty) and sværhedsgrad (degree of difficulty). In practice, sværheden emphasizes the intrinsic level of challenge, whereas vanskelighed is a broader, more everyday term.

Examples and contexts: in educational or research writing, one might discuss the sværheden of solving a particular problem or of a theory. In policy or project planning, sværheden can highlight why certain objectives are hard to attain or require more resources. The term is more common in Danish than in casual speech, where phrases like “en svær opgave” or “høj sværhedsgrad” may be used.

See also: vanskelighed, sværhedsgrad, kompleksitet.