Breakdown of Det er en enkel løsning på problemet.
være
to be
det
it (neuter)
en
a / an (common)
problemet
the problem
Questions & Answers about Det er en enkel løsning på problemet.
Why use enkel here instead of nem?
While both can refer to something being simple or easy, they have distinct nuances. Enkel means uncomplicated, straightforward, or elegant in its design. Nem refers to something being easy to do, requiring little effort. An enkel løsning emphasizes that the solution itself lacks unnecessary complexity.
Why do we use på after løsning instead of til?
Prepositions rarely map one-to-one between English and Danish. While English says 'a solution to' a problem, the fixed Danish phrase is always en løsning på something. It is best to memorize løsning på as a single vocabulary chunk.
How does the adjective enkel change if the noun is neuter or plural?
Because løsning is a common gender noun, it takes the base form enkel. For a neuter noun, you add a t to get et enkelt problem. In the definite and plural forms, the spelling shifts slightly to enkle, for example: flere enkle løsninger (several simple solutions).
Why does the sentence start with det er when løsning is a common gender (en) word?
When introducing a new noun with 'It is a...' or 'This is a...', Danish uses the neuter pronoun det as a dummy subject, completely ignoring the gender of the noun that comes later in the sentence.