Breakdown of Því betri sem ávöxtunin er, því stærri verður sjóðurinn.
vera
to be
verða
to become; will be
sem
who / which / that
betri
better
stærri
bigger
því
the (in 'the more... the more')
ávöxtunin
the return
sjóðurinn
the fund
Questions & Answers about Því betri sem ávöxtunin er, því stærri verður sjóðurinn.
Why is sem used in the first half of the sentence but not the second half?
In Icelandic, the first part of a 'the more... the more...' phrase acts like a relative clause, which is why it uses the relative particle sem. The structure is typically Því + comparative + sem + subject + verb. The second part is a regular main clause, so it does not need sem.
Why does the verb verður come before the subject sjóðurinn?
Why use verður instead of er in the second clause?
You could use er (is), but verður (from the verb verða, meaning to become or will be) emphasizes the change or result. It naturally highlights the cause-and-effect relationship: as the return gets better, the fund becomes bigger.
What exactly is the word því here? Is it related to the word for 'because'?
It is exactly the same word! Því is the dative case of the pronoun það (it). In this specific grammar pattern, the dative is used to show the degree of difference. It literally translates to something like 'by that much better... by that much bigger'.
What are the root words for ávöxtunin and sjóðurinn?
The root words are ávöxtun (return on investment, yield) and sjóður (fund). Both have the attached definite article here: -in for the feminine ávöxtun (the return) and -inn for the masculine sjóður (the fund).
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