Learn Hardcore German: Ohne Vergleich ist eine Entscheidung schwierig. - Without comparison, a decision is difficult.

The preposition ohne requires the accusative case, but with abstract concepts it’s common in German to drop the article. You could say ohne einen Vergleich if you mean “without a specific comparison,” but ohne Vergleich expresses the idea of “in the absence of any comparison” in a general sense.

What case does Vergleich take after ohne?

ohne always takes the accusative. Since Vergleich is a masculine noun and you’re using it without an article, it remains Vergleich in the accusative singular.

Why is eine Entscheidung in the nominative case even though it comes after the verb ist?

German main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule. When you start with an adverbial phrase like Ohne Vergleich, the verb ist comes second and the subject follows. The grammatical role (subject) determines the case—here nominative—regardless of its position in the sentence.

Can you replace schwierig with schwer here?

Both adjectives can translate to “difficult,” but schwierig is preferred for abstract, mental or procedural difficulties (like making decisions). schwer often suggests physical heaviness or effort. In this context, schwierig is more idiomatic, though you might understand Ohne Vergleich ist eine Entscheidung schwer.

Why is schwierig placed at the end of the sentence?

It’s a predicative adjective describing eine Entscheidung. In German V2 word order, predicate adjectives typically follow the subject or even come at the very end. Here the sequence is: adverbial (Ohne Vergleich) – verb (ist) – subject (eine Entscheidung) – predicate adjective (schwierig).

Could you invert the sentence to start with eine Entscheidung?

Yes. You’d then say Eine Entscheidung ist ohne Vergleich schwierig. The verb remains in second position, and ohne Vergleich shifts to after the verb. The emphasis moves from the lack of comparison to the decision itself.

Is a comma needed after Vergleich?

No. Commas in German separate clauses or list items. ohne Vergleich is just a prepositional (adverbial) phrase, not a clause, so no comma is required.

Why isn’t there a dummy subject es, like in English “It is difficult without a comparison”?

German doesn’t need a placeholder when there’s a clear nominal subject. Here eine Entscheidung is the real subject. If you wanted the English-style structure, you could say:
Es ist ohne Vergleich schwierig, eine Entscheidung zu treffen.
There you introduce es and use an infinitive clause eine Entscheidung zu treffen.

What’s the gender of Entscheidung, and why is its article eine?

Entscheidung is feminine (die Entscheidung). In the nominative singular, the indefinite article for feminine nouns is eine. We use eine Entscheidung because the sentence speaks of “a decision” in general, not a specific, previously mentioned decision.

Can you expand the sentence to include zu treffen (“to make a decision”)?

Yes. A more explicit version is:
Es ist ohne Vergleich schwierig, eine Entscheidung zu treffen.
This uses es as a placeholder and an infinitive clause eine Entscheidung zu treffen, making the action clearer.