Comparative Clauses with je … desto/umso
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Learn to express proportional change with je … desto/umso. Practise comparative forms, verb-final order in the je-clause, and verb-second order in the main clause.
Explanation
Linking two changes
Use je … desto/umso when one change is connected to another:
Je früher wir starten, desto ruhiger wird die Fahrt. — The earlier we start, the calmer the journey will be.
Desto and umso have the same meaning here.
Word order
| Clause | Opening | Comparison | Verb position | Example |
|---|
| subordinate clause | je | comparative | finite verb at the end | je früher wir starten |
| main clause | desto/umso | comparative | finite verb immediately after it (position 2) | desto ruhiger wird die Fahrt |
The je-clause normally comes first and is separated by a comma. The reverse order is grammatically possible but less common: Desto ruhiger wird die Fahrt, je früher wir starten.
Forms
Both halves use comparative forms: schnell → schneller, gut → besser, viel → mehr, wenig → weniger, gern → lieber.
A noun may follow the comparative: Je mehr Zeit wir haben, desto bessere Lösungen finden wir.
Changes may move in the same or opposite directions. Keep both rules in view: verb-final order in the je-clause, and verb-second order after desto/umso + comparative.
Exercises
- Match each je-clause with the logical desto/umso continuation. (1)
- Insert the adjectives or quantity words in the correct comparative form. (10)
- Order the words. Keep the verb final after je and in position 2 after desto/umso. (10)
- Rewrite the statement as a complete sentence with je … desto or je … umso. (10)
B1 · German · Grammar