Breakdown of Við verðum að minnka áhættuna ef við viljum meiri hagnað.
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
vilja
to want (to will, be willing)
verða
to become; will be
ef
if
meira
more
minnka
to reduce / to decrease (intransitive) / to reduce (something)
áhættan
the risk
hagnaðurinn
the profit
Questions & Answers about Við verðum að minnka áhættuna ef við viljum meiri hagnað.
Since this lesson is about því... því... (the more... the more), how would you rewrite this sentence using that structure?
You would have to change the grammar quite a bit. A natural way to express a similar idea using the proportional correlative is: Því meiri hagnað sem við viljum, því meira verðum við að minnka áhættuna (The more profit we want, the more we must decrease the risk). This sentence, however, just uses a standard ef (if) condition alongside the comparative word meiri (more).
Why is the word for 'more' here meiri instead of meira?
Meiri is the comparative form of the adjective mikill (much/great). Because it is modifying the masculine noun hagnaður (profit) in the accusative case, it takes the masculine accusative form meiri. If you were modifying a neuter noun, or using 'more' as a standalone adverb, you would use meira.
Could I use þurfum að instead of verðum að here?
Yes, you could say við þurfum að minnka (we need to decrease) and it would sound very natural. Verða að translates to 'must' or 'have to' and feels slightly more forceful or absolute, while þurfa að just means 'need to'.
How is the word áhættuna (the risk) formed here?
The base word is áhætta (risk), which is a feminine noun. The verb minnka (decrease) requires its object to be in the accusative case, so áhætta changes to áhættu. Finally, because we are talking about 'the' risk, we attach the feminine accusative definite article -na, resulting in áhættuna.
Why does hagnaður (profit) become hagnað in this sentence?
It is the direct object of the verb vilja (to want), which dictates that it must be in the accusative case. Since hagnaður is a masculine noun ending in -ur, it drops that ending in the accusative, becoming hagnað.
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