Learn Hardcore Swedish: Den här övningen är enkel.

övning is an en‑word (common gender): en övning
→ therefore you use den här: den här övningen = this exercise
For an ett‑word (neuter), you would use det här:
- ett problem → det här problemet = this problem

So: den här + en‑words, det här + ett‑words.

What is the difference between den här and just den?

Both can be translated as this or that, but:

den här = this (explicitly “this one here,” near the speaker)
- den här övningen = this exercise (right here)
den on its own usually means that in everyday speech, or sometimes this from context:
- Den övningen är enkel. = That exercise is easy. (or This, depending on context)

So den här is more clearly “this (one here)”, while den alone is more like “that”.

Why is it övningen with -en at the end if we already have den här? Isn’t that double?

Yes, Swedish uses “double definiteness” with adjectives and with den/det/de här:

Indefinite: en övning = an exercise
Definite without den: övningen = the exercise
With den här you still keep the noun in definite form:
- ❌ den här övning
- ✅ den här övningen

This is normal Swedish grammar:

den här bilen (this car), det där huset (that house), de här böckerna (these books).

So you must say den här övningen, not den här övning.

Could I say denna övning är enkel instead of den här övningen är enkel?

Yes, but there is a nuance:

den här övningen är enkel – the most common, neutral, everyday way to say this exercise is easy.
denna övning är enkel – more formal, written, or “bookish” style; still correct.

With denna, you usually don’t add the -en ending:

✅ denna övning
❌ denna övningen

So you can say:

Den här övningen är enkel. (everyday speech)
Denna övning är enkel. (more formal)

What’s the difference between enkel and lätt? Both mean easy, right?

Both can mean easy, but they’re used a bit differently:

enkel
- often means simple, uncomplicated
- can describe design, style, or a lack of complexity
- Den här övningen är enkel. = This exercise is simple / not complicated.
lätt
- more about how much effort something takes → easy, not difficult, light
- Den här övningen är lätt. = This exercise is easy (not hard for me to do).

In many cases they overlap and both are fine.
If you focus on simple structure → enkel
If you focus on not difficult to do → lätt.

How would this sentence change in the plural, for “These exercises are easy”?

You need plural forms for everything:

den här → de här (these)
övningen → övningarna (the exercises)
enkel → enkla (plural adjective form)

So:

De här övningarna är enkla. = These exercises are easy.

How would I say “That exercise is easy” instead of “This exercise is easy”?

Use där instead of här:

Den här övningen är enkel. = This exercise is easy.
Den där övningen är enkel. = That exercise is easy.

So:

här = here → this
där = there → that

Why is it är and not var? What’s the difference?

är is the present tense of to be → is / am / are
var is the past tense → was / were

So:

Den här övningen är enkel. = This exercise is easy. (now)
Den här övningen var enkel. = This exercise was easy. (in the past)

How does enkel change in other forms, like neuter and plural?

Enkel is an adjective. Its basic forms are:

Common gender singular (en‑words): enkel
- En övning är enkel.
Neuter singular (ett‑words): enkelt
- Ett test är enkelt. = A test is easy.
Plural (all genders): enkla
- Alla övningarna är enkla. = All the exercises are easy.

With bestämd form (the definite), if the adjective comes before the noun, you usually use den/det/de + -a form:

den enkla övningen = the simple exercise
det enkla testet = the simple test
de enkla övningarna = the simple exercises

Is it possible to drop är and just say Den här övningen enkel like in some other languages?

No. In Swedish you normally must include the verb är in this type of sentence.

❌ Den här övningen enkel.
✅ Den här övningen är enkel.

Swedish does not normally drop the verb to be the way, for example, Russian or Arabic sometimes do.

How do you pronounce övningen and enkel?

Approximate guide (for an English speaker):

övningen
- ö: like the vowel in British “bird” or French eu in “peur”.
- Stress is on the first syllable: ÖV-ning-en.
- Roughly: [ˈøːv-nɪŋ-ən]
enkel
- Stress on the first syllable: EN-kel.
- The -el is short, like in English “metal” (but with Swedish vowels).
- Roughly: [ˈɛŋ-kɛl] or [ˈɛŋ-kəl] (the ng is like in “sing”).

What does övning mean in other contexts? Is it always exercise?

Övning basically means exercise / practice / drill. Depending on context:

School / textbook:
- Gör övning 3. = Do exercise 3.
Music or sports:
- Vi har övning varje tisdag. = We have practice every Tuesday.
Military:
- militärövning = military exercise/drill

So it’s any kind of practice activity to train a skill, not just a gym “exercise” (that would more often be träning or träningspass for a workout).