Questions & Answers about Det er vanskelig å dømme.
Why does the sentence start with det if it does not seem to refer to anything?
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.
What does er mean 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.
Why is it vanskelig and not some other adjective form?