The phrase 'end som så' (end som så)

The Phrase end som så

To express that a situation is harder, more dangerous, or more complicated than it looks, Danish uses the phrase end som så. Appended directly after a comparative adjective, it translates to "than it appears" or "than one might think." The meticulous art of beekeeping offers the perfect context for things being harder than they seem!

The work with the beehive is more dangerous than it appears.
Arbejdet med bikuben er farligere end som så.
The nectar is harder to find than it appears.
Nektaren er sværere at finde end som så.

With Longer and Irregular Comparatives

Longer adjectives form their comparative with mere (more) instead of an -ere suffix, while irregular comparatives like værre (worse) change entirely. You can append end som så to both forms just as easily.

For the beekeeper, the handling of the honey is more complicated than one might think.
For biavleren er håndteringen af honningen mere kompliceret end som så.
Without the suit, everything seemed more painful than one might think.
Uden dragten virkede alting mere smertefuldt end som så.
He thought that the bee sting was nothing, but it was worse than one might think.
Han troede at bistikket var ingenting, men det var værre end som så.
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