Word
Runan är svår att tyda.
Meaning
The rune is hard to decipher.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Runan är svår att tyda.
Why is it svår here instead of the neuter svårt?
When we move the logical object of the action to the subject position, the adjective must agree with the new subject. Since runan is an en word, we use the common gender form svår. If we used a dummy subject instead, the adjective would take the neuter form: Det är svårt att tyda runan.
Since the rune is the thing being deciphered, could we use the passive infinitive att tydas?
No, you should use the active infinitive att tyda here. Just like in English where we say 'hard to decipher' rather than 'hard to be deciphered', Swedish uses the active verb when paired with adjectives like svår, lätt, or rolig in this structure.
Does tyda just mean to read?
It is much more specific than the standard word for read (läsa). tyda means to decipher, interpret, or make out the meaning of something obscure or faded. You would use it for ancient runes, messy handwriting, or even interpreting a dream.