Breakdown of Hoe sneller de verkoper het huis verkoopt, des te beter is het.
zijn
to be
het huis
the house
snel
fast
verkopen
to sell
Questions & Answers about Hoe sneller de verkoper het huis verkoopt, des te beter is het.
How does the hoe ... des te structure work in this sentence?
This structure translates to "the [more] ..., the [more] ...". In this sentence, hoe sneller (the faster) pairs with des te beter (the better). It is used to show that two things increase or decrease proportionally.
Why is the verb verkoopt at the very end of the first clause?
The first part of the sentence starting with hoe acts as a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the verb is pushed to the end. That is why it is ... de verkoper het huis verkoopt.
Why is the word order is het in the second half, instead of het is?
The second half acts as a main clause. Because it begins with the phrase des te beter (occupying the first position), the verb must take the second position. This causes inversion, placing the verb is right before the subject het.
Can I use hoe ... hoe instead of hoe ... des te?
Yes! In everyday spoken Dutch, people frequently say hoe sneller ..., hoe beter .... The hoe ... des te version you see here means the exact same thing but sounds slightly more formal or written.