To express that two things change in proportion to each other—like saying "the older, the wiser"—German uses the two-part structure je ... desto with comparative adjectives.
The basic structure
The first half of the comparison starts with je followed by a comparative adjective (like älter or mehr). This part acts as a subordinate clause, meaning the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end.
The second half begins with desto and another comparative adjective. This chunk occupies the first position of the main clause, which means the conjugated verb must come immediately after it, followed by the subject.
| The older one becomes, the wiser one is. | Je älter man wird, desto weiser ist man. |
Using "umso"
Instead of desto, you can also use umso for the second half of the comparison. It means exactly the same thing and follows the exact same word order rules.
| The older we become, the more patient we are. | Je älter wir werden, umso geduldiger sind wir. |
Time and temperament
When talking about gaining patience or getting calmer as time passes, you will often use verbs like vergehen (to pass) and adjectives like gelassen (calm).
| The more time passes, the quieter I am. | Je mehr Zeit vergeht, desto ruhiger bin ich. |
| The calmer I am, the less I get upset. | Je gelassener ich bin, desto weniger rege ich mich auf. |
Nouns in comparisons
If your comparative involves a noun, such as mehr Geduld (more patience), keep the noun tightly attached to the comparative word at the beginning of the clause.
| The more patience you have, the better you speak. | Je mehr Geduld du hast, desto besser sprichst du. |
Life stages
This proportional structure is perfectly suited for talking about getting older or becoming a grown-up (erwachsen).
| The older the child gets, the cleverer it is. | Je älter das Kind wird, umso klüger ist es. |
| The more grown-up she is, the more she looks forward to the weekend. | Je erwachsener sie ist, desto mehr freut sie sich auf das Wochenende. |
