Det er vanskelig å dømme.

In Det er vanskelig å dømme, det is a dummy subject (also called a formal subject). Norwegian often uses det in the same way English uses it in sentences like It is difficult to judge.

So here, det does not point to a specific thing. It is just there because Norwegian sentences normally need a subject.

This pattern is very common:

• Det er lett å forstå. — It is easy to understand.
• Det er hyggelig å være her. — It is nice to be here.

Er is the present tense of å være (to be).

So:

• å være — to be
• er — is / are / am depending on context

In this sentence, er simply means is.

Here vanskelig is used as a predicative adjective, meaning it comes after er and describes the situation.

In Norwegian, predicative adjectives usually stay in their basic dictionary form:

• Det er vanskelig.
• Boken er vanskelig.
• Oppgaven er vanskelig.

You would more often see adjective endings when the adjective comes before a noun:

• en vanskelig oppgave — a difficult task
• et vanskelig spørsmål — a difficult question

So in Det er vanskelig å dømme, vanskelig stays in its basic form because it follows er.

Å is the infinitive marker, like to in English infinitives.

So:

• å dømme — to judge

After adjectives like vanskelig, Norwegian often uses this structure:

• Det er + adjective + å + infinitive

Examples:

• Det er lett å lære. — It is easy to learn.
• Det er umulig å vite. — It is impossible to know.
• Det er vanskelig å dømme. — It is difficult to judge.

Dømme usually means to judge.

Depending on context, it can mean things like:

• to judge a person or situation
• to form an opinion
• to condemn
• in legal contexts, to sentence someone in court

In this sentence, the most natural broad meaning is to judge or to make a judgment.

Norwegian can leave the object unstated when the meaning is general or when the context already makes it clear.

So Det er vanskelig å dømme means something like:

• It is difficult to judge
• It is hard to say
• It is difficult to make a judgment

If you want to be more specific, you can add an object:

• Det er vanskelig å dømme ham. — It is difficult to judge him.
• Det er vanskelig å dømme saken. — It is difficult to judge the case.

Without an object, the sentence sounds more general.

Yes, depending on context, it can.

Although dømme literally means judge, sentences with Det er vanskelig å dømme can sometimes feel close to:

• It is hard to tell
• It is hard to judge
• It is difficult to assess

That depends on what is being discussed. If someone is talking about a situation, a person, or incomplete information, the idea may be that it is hard to reach a conclusion.

You technically can, but it sounds more marked and less natural in everyday speech.

The usual and most idiomatic pattern is:

• Det er vanskelig å dømme.

Starting with the infinitive phrase—

• Å dømme er vanskelig.

—is grammatically possible, but it sounds more formal, abstract, or stylistically unusual. Most learners should prefer Det er vanskelig å dømme.

This is a very common confusion.

• å = infinitive marker, like to
• og = and

So here it must be:

• Det er vanskelig å dømme. — It is difficult to judge.

Not:

• Det er vanskelig og dømme.

That would be incorrect.

A good trick: If English can use to, Norwegian usually uses å.

• to judge → å dømme
• to understand → å forstå

The ø sound is the part English speakers usually find hardest.

A rough guide:

• dømme sounds approximately like DUHM-muh with a rounded vowel that does not exist in standard English

A few notes:

• ø is a front rounded vowel; you have to round your lips while making a vowel somewhat like the vowel in bird or her, but not exactly
• the mm is a normal m sound
• the final e is pronounced as a weak vowel, like uh

If you are learning Bokmål pronunciation, hearing native audio is very helpful for ø.

Yes, very much so.

The pattern:

• Det er + adjective + å + infinitive

is extremely common and very useful.

Examples:

• Det er lett å glemme. — It is easy to forget.
• Det er vanskelig å forstå. — It is difficult to understand.
• Det er fint å være hjemme. — It is nice to be at home.
• Det er viktig å øve. — It is important to practise.

So Det er vanskelig å dømme is a great model sentence for learning a very common structure.