Det er tiden værd.

to be

Breakdown of Det er tiden værd.

• det: it
• tiden: the time
• værd: worth

Questions & Answers about Det er tiden værd.

What does each word mean literally?

Word for word:

• Det = it/that
• er = is
• tiden = the time
• værd = worth

So the literal structure is close to It is the time worth, but the natural English meaning is It is worth the time or It’s worth your while.

What does det refer to here?

It usually refers to a situation, activity, experience, or plan that is already clear from context.

So if someone is talking about reading a book, taking a course, visiting a museum, etc., det means it in the same broad English sense:

• Det er sjovt. = It is fun.
• Det er svært. = It is difficult.
• Det er tiden værd. = It is worth the time.

In other words, det does not have to point to a specific noun. It can refer to a whole idea.

Why is it det and not den?