Learn Hardcore German: Dieses Kapitel ist leicht zu übersetzen, aber schwer zu schreiben. - This chapter is easy to translate but hard to write.

It’s the pattern: sein + adjective + zu + infinitive. It expresses how easy/difficult something is to do, roughly “easy/hard to [verb].” Here, the adjectives are predicate adjectives (leicht, schwer), and the zu-infinitive is their complement.

Who is the doer of “übersetzen” and “schreiben” here?

The agent is implicit and generic (like English “one/you/people”). Logically, the subject “Dieses Kapitel” is the object of the infinitives: “It’s easy for someone to translate this chapter, but hard for someone to write it.”

Why is “zu” used before the infinitives? Is it the same “zu” as in “um … zu”?

Here “zu” is the infinitival marker (not a preposition). It just forms a non-finite clause: zu übersetzen, zu schreiben. It is not the purpose construction “um … zu,” which means “in order to.”

Can I omit the second “zu” and say “..., aber schwer schreiben”?

No, not in this construction. Each adjective needs its own zu-infinitive: “… leicht zu übersetzen, aber schwer zu schreiben.” Omitting “zu” would be ungrammatical here.

Why is there a comma before “aber”?

In German, a comma is required before “aber” when it links (equivalent to) main clauses. The second part is a reduced clause (“[ist] schwer zu schreiben”), so the comma is still required.

Why “aber” and not “sondern”?

“Sondern” is used only after an explicit negation (“nicht … sondern …”). There’s no negation here, so “aber” (“but/however”) is correct.

Do I have to repeat “ist” or the subject in the second part?

No. Ellipsis is normal: “Dieses Kapitel ist leicht zu übersetzen, aber schwer zu schreiben.” If you do repeat, include a subject: “…, aber es ist schwer zu schreiben.” Avoid “…, aber ist schwer zu schreiben” (missing subject).

What’s the difference between “Dieses Kapitel” and “Das Kapitel”?

“Dieses Kapitel” is a pointed, demonstrative choice (“this [specific] chapter”), often deictic or contrastive. “Das Kapitel” is just “the chapter” (previously known/unique in context).

Why does it say “Dieses” with -es?

Because “Kapitel” is neuter nominative singular. The demonstrative declines as: dieser (masc.), diese (fem.), dieses (neut.). Hence “Dieses Kapitel.”

Is “übersetzen” separable? Why isn’t it split?

For “translate,” “übersetzen” is inseparable (prefix stays attached; stress on -setzen: überSETZen). There is also a different, separable verb “über|setzen” (to ferry across), which does split and has different forms (Perfekt: übergesetzt vs. übersetzt).

Is there a more explicit alternative with “es”?

Yes: “Es ist leicht, dieses Kapitel zu übersetzen, aber schwer, es zu schreiben.” This extraposes the infinitive clause. The comma before the infinitive group is common and recommended in this pattern.

Can I say “Dieses Kapitel lässt sich leicht übersetzen …”?

Yes: “Dieses Kapitel lässt sich leicht übersetzen, aber schwer schreiben.” The “lassen + sich” construction expresses possibility/feasibility (“can be”). It’s very idiomatic here.

What’s the nuance between “leicht/einfach” and “schwer/schwierig”?

leicht ≈ simple/easy; einfach ≈ simple/plain/easy (einfach can also mean “plain, not complicated” in a broader sense).
schwer ≈ heavy/difficult; schwierig ≈ difficult/complicated (more formal, purely about difficulty). In this sentence you could swap to “einfach” or “schwierig” without changing the meaning much.

Does “sein + zu + infinitive” ever mean obligation, like “must be done”?

Yes, without an adjective it can: “Die Aufgabe ist zu erledigen” ≈ “The task must be done / is to be done.” But with adjectives like “leicht/schwer,” it doesn’t express obligation—only ease/difficulty.

Where do the infinitives go in the sentence?

German sends the zu-infinitive group to the clause-final position: “… ist leicht [zu übersetzen], aber schwer [zu schreiben].” The finite verb “ist” stays in position 2 in the (first) main clause.

Can I write “zuschreiben” as one word here?

No. “Zu schreiben” here is the infinitival marker + verb. “Zuschreiben” (one word) is a different separable verb meaning “to ascribe/attribute (to),” which would change the meaning entirely.

How would I say “the chapter that is easy to translate” attributively?

Use the “zu”-participle construction: “das leicht zu übersetzende Kapitel” and, correspondingly, “ein schwer zu schreibendes Kapitel.” The endings follow normal adjective declension.