je...desto
je … desto
Paired conjunctions consist of two parts that belong together. "je … desto" expresses a proportional increase: when one thing changes, the other changes with it (the more … the more). Both parts need a comparative.
The word order is special: the "je" part is a subordinate clause → verb at the end. The "desto" part is the main clause → after "desto + comparative" comes the verb, then the subject.
| je + comparative (clause) | desto + comparative (main) |
|---|---|
| Je mehr ich lerne, | desto besser verstehe ich. |
| Je älter er wird, | desto ruhiger wird er. |
Note:
- Always two comparatives (je … desto …).
- "je" clause: verb at the end; "desto" clause: verb right after the comparative.
- Instead of "desto" you can also use "umso".
Examples:
- Je mehr ich lerne, desto besser verstehe ich. (The more I learn, the better I understand.)
- Je früher wir losfahren, desto weniger Stau haben wir. (The earlier we leave, the less traffic we have.)
- Je länger ich warte, desto nervöser werde ich. (The longer I wait, the more nervous I get.)
Je mehr ich lerne, ___ besser verstehe ich.