Breakdown of Því oftar sem þú kaupir hlutabréfið, því betri verður ávöxtunin.
þú
you
kaupa
to buy
verða
to become; will be
sem
who / which / that
betri
better
oftar
more often
því
the (in 'the more... the more')
hlutabréfið
the stock
ávöxtunin
the return
Questions & Answers about Því oftar sem þú kaupir hlutabréfið, því betri verður ávöxtunin.
Why is there a sem after oftar in the first part of the sentence?
When using the því... því... (the more... the more...) structure, the first half acts as a dependent clause. Because it contains a subject and a verb (þú kaupir), you must connect them using the relative particle sem (that). Literally, it translates to 'The more often that you buy...'.
Why does the second part say verður ávöxtunin instead of ávöxtunin verður?
This is due to the V2 (verb-second) rule. The second half is the main clause, and the phrase því betri takes up the first position. Therefore, the verb verður must come in the second position, pushing the subject ávöxtunin to the other side of the verb.
Why is the comparative adjective betri used here instead of betra?
Even in the comparative degree, adjectives must agree in gender with the noun they describe. Betri describes ávöxtunin (the return), which is a feminine noun. If it were describing a neuter noun, you would use betra.
Why does the sentence use verður instead of er (is)?
While er just states a current fact, verður (from verða) implies a change or a future state. It translates closely to 'becomes' or 'will be,' emphasizing that the return improves as a direct result of buying the stock more often.
Learn Því oftar sem þú kaupir hlutabréfið, því betri verður ávöxtunin and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free