Breakdown of Mitä luotettavampi lähde on, sitä parempi.
olla
to be
se
it / he / she (of a person) / that
mikä
what
luotettava
reliable
parempi
better
lähde
source
Questions & Answers about Mitä luotettavampi lähde on, sitä parempi.
How do the words mitä and sitä translate to "the" in this sentence?
In this specific grammar structure, mitä (partitive of mikä) and sitä (partitive of se) act as a pair to mean "the [more]... the [more]". They must both be followed immediately by an adjective or adverb in the comparative form, like luotettavampi and parempi.
Why is the word order mitä luotettavampi lähde on instead of mitä lähde on luotettavampi?
The structure requires the comparative word to attach directly to mitä and sitä. Because of this, luotettavampi (more reliable) is pulled to the front of the clause right next to mitä, leaving the subject (lähde) and the verb (on) to follow afterward.
How is the word luotettavampi formed?
It is the comparative form of luotettava (reliable). The base word is built from the verb luottaa (to trust) combined with the passive participle ending -ttava, meaning "able to be trusted". Adding the comparative ending -mpi gives us "more reliable".
Is it grammatically correct to leave out the verb at the end of sitä parempi?
Yes! Just like in English ("the better"), Finnish often drops the subject and verb in the second half of this phrase when it expresses a general truth or is obvious from context. You could say sitä parempi se on, but leaving it short is very common and natural.
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