Learn Danish: Faget er svært. - The subject is difficult.

In Danish, adjectives have to match the gender of the noun they describe. Because fag is an et word (a neuter noun), you must add a -t to the end of the adjective svær, making it svært.

How does the single word faget translate to two words ('the subject') in English?

Danish doesn't normally use a separate word for 'the'. Instead, it attaches a suffix to the end of the noun. Since the base word fag is an et word, we add -et to the end to get faget (the subject).

I also know the word hårdt means 'hard'. Why use svært here instead?

While both can translate to 'hard' in English, they are used differently. Svært means difficult or complicated, which fits perfectly when talking about a subject. Hårdt usually means physically hard (like a rock) or physically exhausting.

Can faget refer to things other than a school subject?

Yes. Depending on the context, et fag can mean a subject in school, but it is also commonly used to mean a profession, a trade, or a specific field of work.