Vergleiche und je...desto
A quick recap of comparative and superlative adjectives, then the B1-level construction that links two comparisons together: je...desto ("the more... the more...").
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Comparative | adjective + -er | schnell → schneller (faster) |
| Superlative | am + adjective + -sten | schnell → am schnellsten (fastest) |
Two common irregulars: gut → besser → am besten (good/better/best), viel → mehr → am meisten (much/more/most).
Quick check: what is the comparative form of gut?
This links two comparatives so one change drives the other. Both clauses use verb-to-the-end word order, and the comparative adjective sits right after je or desto.
Je mehr ich lerne, desto besser spreche ich. (The more I learn, the better I speak.)
Je länger die Reise dauert, desto müder werde ich. (The longer the trip lasts, the more tired I get.)
Quick check: in a je...desto sentence, where does the conjugated verb go in the je-clause?
Unlike the je-clause, the desto-clause keeps normal verb-second order, just with desto + comparative in the front slot: "desto besser spreche ich" (desto acts like the first element, then the verb, then the subject).
Quick check: does the desto-clause use verb-to-the-end order or normal verb-second order?
1. What is the superlative form of viel?
2. "The more I learn, the better I speak" - ______ mehr ich lerne, ______ besser spreche ich.
Aligned with standard Goethe-Zertifikat B1 / telc B1 exam syllabus topics.
Want to practice a few more je...desto sentences about everyday life? Ask your teaching agent.