Questions & Answers about Verðið á bensíni hækkar í dag.
What does verðið mean, and why does it end with -ið?
Verðið is the definite form of the neuter noun verð, meaning “price.” In Icelandic, the definite article is attached to the noun as a suffix. So verð + -ið = verðið (“the price”).
Why is á used before bensíni, and what case is bensíni in?
The preposition á here introduces the thing whose price is being discussed. In the phrase verð á X, it idiomatically means “price of X.” After á, the noun takes the dative case. The neuter noun bensín becomes bensíni in the dative singular.
Could we use the genitive bensíns instead of á bensíni to say “price of gasoline”?
While verð bensíns (using the genitive) is grammatically correct, Icelandic speakers typically say verð á bensíni. That construction is more idiomatic.
What is hækkar, and why is it conjugated that way?
Hækkar is the present tense, third person singular form of the verb að hækka, which means “to increase” or “to rise.” So hækkar here means “it rises” or “it increases.”