Learn Hardcore Danish: Når vi finder en god løsning sammen, er det lettere at tilgive fejl. - When we find a good solution together, it is easier to forgive mistakes.

når = when / whenever for:
- general truths and repeated situations (like this sentence)
- future time: Når jeg kommer hjem, ringer jeg.
da = when for one specific event in the past only:
- Da jeg kom hjem, ringede jeg. (one particular time)
hvis = if, a condition that might or might not happen:
- Hvis vi finder en god løsning, … (if we happen to find one)

Our sentence talks about a general situation that can happen repeatedly, so når is the natural choice.

Why is it vi finder (present tense) and not something like vi har fundet (have found)?

Danish often uses the present tense for:

general truths
rules or typical patterns of behavior

Here, Når vi finder en god løsning sammen means whenever/when we (manage to) find a good solution together in general, not just once.

If you said:

Når vi har fundet en god løsning sammen, er det lettere at tilgive fejl.

it would sound more like once we have found a good solution (on a given occasion), it’s easier to forgive mistakes – more specific and event-like, less general.

Can I say "Når vi finder en god løsning sammen, det er lettere at tilgive fejl"?

No, that word order is not correct in Danish.

Danish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position in the clause.

In this sentence:

Subordinate clause: Når vi finder en god løsning sammen
Main clause: er det lettere at tilgive fejl

Because the subordinate clause comes first, the verb in the main clause (er) must come immediately after the comma, before the subject det:

Correct: Når vi finder en god løsning sammen, er det lettere at tilgive fejl.
Incorrect: … , det er lettere …

If you put the main clause first, you get:

Det er lettere at tilgive fejl, når vi finder en god løsning sammen.

Here, det is in first position, so er is still in second position.

Why do we need det in er det lettere? What does it stand for?

Here det is a dummy (formal) subject, just like “it” in English:

Danish: Det er lettere at tilgive fejl.
English: It is easier to forgive mistakes.

The real “subject” idea is the infinitive phrase at tilgive fejl (to forgive mistakes). But Danish, like English, prefers:

Det er lettere at tilgive fejl.
rather than
At tilgive fejl er lettere.

So det fills the subject position, and the heavier clause (at tilgive fejl) moves to the end.

Why is sammen placed at the end of "vi finder en god løsning sammen"? Can it go elsewhere?

Yes, you can move sammen a bit, but the version in the sentence is very natural:

Vi finder en god løsning sammen. (neutral, very common)
Vi finder sammen en god løsning. (possible, a bit marked; focus more on doing it together)
Vi sammen finder en god løsning. (also possible, slightly more formal or emphatic)

Placing sammen at the end is the most typical, conversational choice. It modifies vi finder en god løsning as a whole: we find a good solution, together.

Why is there a comma after "Når vi finder en god løsning sammen"?

Når vi finder en god løsning sammen is a subordinate clause (introduced by når). It comes before the main clause er det lettere at tilgive fejl.

Standard Danish punctuation normally puts a comma between a fronted subordinate clause and the following main clause:

Når vi finder en god løsning sammen, er det lettere at tilgive fejl.

For learners, it’s safe to remember:

If your sentence starts with a når / fordi / hvis / selvom-clause, you almost always put a comma before the next clause.

Why is there no article before fejl? Why not fejlene or nogle fejl?

Fejl is special because:

en fejl = a mistake (singular, indefinite)
fejlen = the mistake (singular, definite)
fejl = mistakes (plural, indefinite)
fejlene = the mistakes (plural, definite)

In plural indefinite, Danish usually has no article (just like English “mistakes”):

at tilgive fejl = to forgive mistakes (in general)
at tilgive nogle fejl = to forgive some mistakes (emphasis on some, not all)
at tilgive fejlene = to forgive the mistakes (specific ones already known in the context)

The sentence is speaking generally, so fejl without any article is the right choice.

What is at tilgive grammatically? Is at always needed?

At is the infinitive marker in Danish, like “to” in English:

tilgive = the verb to forgive
at tilgive = to forgive (infinitive form)

In this sentence, at tilgive fejl is an infinitive phrase functioning as the “real” subject idea:

Det er lettere at tilgive fejl.
= It is easier to forgive mistakes.

You normally must use at before a bare infinitive, except after certain verbs or constructions where at is dropped (e.g. jeg vil tilgive, jeg kan tilgive). Here, since it’s not following a modal like vil, kan, etc., you need at.

Could I also say "en løsning, der er god" instead of "en god løsning"?

Grammatically, yes, but the nuance is different:

en god løsning = a good solution (simple, neutral description; adjective before noun)
en løsning, der er god = a solution that is good (more descriptive, emphasizes the quality as a relative clause)

In normal speech and writing, en god løsning is much more natural and compact.
You’d use en løsning, der er god if you really want to stress the quality in contrast to something else, or if the structure of the sentence forces a relative clause.

What is the difference between at finde en løsning and at finde på en løsning in this context?

Both can be used, but they focus on slightly different things:

at finde en løsning = to find a solution
- Often implies discovering or arriving at a suitable solution, possibly among options or through discussion.
at finde på en løsning = to think up / come up with a solution
- Emphasizes the creative act of inventing or thinking of a solution.

In this sentence, finder en god løsning sammen works perfectly: it focuses on reaching a good solution together, whether by discussing, choosing, or inventing it.
If you said finder på en god løsning sammen, you’d put a bit more emphasis on coming up with the idea itself.

Could I say "nemmere" instead of "lettere"? Is there a difference?

Yes, you could say:

Når vi finder en god løsning sammen, er det nemmere at tilgive fejl.

lettere and nemmere both mean “easier” and are often interchangeable.

Subtle nuance:

nem often feels a bit more colloquial / everyday.
let can feel slightly more neutral or formal, but in most contexts they are very close in meaning.

In this sentence, both lettere and nemmere sound natural.