Breakdown of Teksten er ikke let at tyde.
være
to be
ikke
not
at
to
teksten
the text
let
easy; light (not heavy)
tyde
to decipher
Questions & Answers about Teksten er ikke let at tyde.
Why does the sentence use the active verb at tyde when the meaning feels passive (to be deciphered)?
This is a classic 'Tough' construction. Just like in English ('easy to read'), when you use adjectives like let (easy) or svær (difficult) combined with at and a verb, Danish uses the active infinitive. You do not need to use the passive form at tydes.
Could I use nem instead of let in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely! Nem and let both mean 'easy' and are largely interchangeable in this context, so you could say Teksten er ikke nem at tyde. The only difference is that let can also mean 'light' (in weight), whereas nem only means 'easy'.
If I wanted to say 'The texts are not easy to decipher' in the plural, how would the sentence change?
It would become Teksterne er ikke lette at tyde. The adjective must agree with the subject, so let adds an -e to become the plural form lette. The infinitive phrase at tyde stays exactly the same.
When should I use at tyde instead of at læse (to read) or at forstå (to understand)?
At tyde specifically means to decipher, decode, or make out something that is physically or visually hard to read. You would use it for messy handwriting, faded ink, or ancient runes, rather than for a text that is just intellectually difficult.
Learn Teksten er ikke let at tyde and more in Danish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free