frekar
Rather (Frekar)
Ég vil frekar te en kaffi. (I'd rather have tea than coffee.)
How It Works
Saying what you prefer.
- Ég vil frekar te en kaffi. (I'd rather have tea than coffee.)
- Ég myndi frekar búa í sveit en í borg. (I would rather live in the country than in a city.)
- Viltu frekar fara í bíó eða horfa á mynd heima? (Would you rather go to the cinema or watch a film at home?)
heldur en. heldur en means the same as en (than). It is common in speech and is handy before a verb: Ég vil frekar ganga heldur en taka strætó. It also works after a comparative: Hún er eldri heldur en ég. Do not drop the en.
Other words for rather. heldur alone can also mean rather: Ég vil heldur vera heima. helst means most of all: Ég vil helst vera heima í kvöld. In formal writing you will see fremur for frekar.
Two other heldur words. Do not mix these up with ekki ... heldur (not this but that) or ekki heldur (not either).
Fairly. Before an adjective or adverb, frekar softens it: Það er frekar kalt í dag. (It's fairly cold today.)
Examples (6)
- Ég vil frekar te en kaffi.
I'd rather have tea than coffee.
Word by Word: I want rather tea than coffee.
- Ég vil frekar ganga heldur en taka strætó.
I'd rather walk than take the bus.
Word by Word: I want rather walk rather than take bus.
- Viltu frekar fara í bíó eða horfa á mynd heima?
Would you rather go to the cinema or watch a film at home?
Word by Word: Want-you rather go in cinema or watch on film at-home?
- Ég myndi frekar búa í sveit en í borg.
I would rather live in the country than in a city.
Word by Word: I would rather live in countryside than in city.
- Ég vil helst vera heima í kvöld.
Most of all I'd like to stay home tonight.
Word by Word: I want most-rather be at-home in evening.
- Það er frekar kalt í dag.
It's fairly cold today.
Word by Word: It is rather cold in day.
Before an adjective, frekar means fairly.
Common Mistakes
Dropping en after heldur.
Ég vil frekar te heldur kaffi.Ég vil frekar te heldur en kaffi.To mean "than", heldur needs en: heldur en. You can also just say en.
Putting frekar before the verb, as in English.
Ég frekar vil te.Ég vil frekar te.The finite verb comes second in the sentence, so frekar follows it: Ég vil frekar.
How It Connects
Learn This First
frekar builds on than and myndi.
Related Patterns
- viljaTo Want (Vilja)
The verb most often used with frekar: Ég vil frekar ...
Level 1 - ekki ... heldurNot This but That (Ekki ... Heldur)
A different heldur: not this but that.
Level 3 - líka / heldurToo and Either (Líka, Heldur)
Another different heldur: ekki heldur means not either.
Level 2 - Better, More and Most
frekar is itself a comparative adverb, with the superlative frekast.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice frekar in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Icelandic lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
