Breakdown of Je größer das Gebiet ist, desto schneller kann sich die Bedeutung verbreiten.
sein
to be
groß
big / tall
schnell
fast, quickly
können
can / to be able to
das Gebiet
the area
je
the (in proportional comparisons)
desto
the (second part of proportional comparisons)
die Bedeutung
the meaning
sich verbreiten
to spread
Questions & Answers about Je größer das Gebiet ist, desto schneller kann sich die Bedeutung verbreiten.
How do you form "the... the..." sentences like "the larger, the faster" in German?
You use the pairing je... desto... combined with comparative adjectives (words with an -er ending). Here, je größer means "the larger" and desto schneller means "the faster". You might also see umso used instead of desto.
Why is the verb "ist" at the end of the first clause, but "kann" is near the front of the second clause?
The je clause acts like a subordinate clause, which forces its conjugated verb (ist) to the very end. The desto clause acts like a main clause. Because desto schneller takes up the first position, the verb (kann) must follow immediately in the second position.
Why do we need the word "sich" in the second half?
In English, "to spread" can be an action something just does on its own. In German, the verb verbreiten always needs an object. To say that a meaning spreads, you have to use it reflexively with sich—literally, "the meaning can spread itself."
Why does the reflexive pronoun "sich" come before the subject "die Bedeutung"?
Because the subject is a full noun (die Bedeutung) rather than a pronoun (like sie), the reflexive pronoun sich prefers to jump right next to the conjugated verb (kann). If the subject were a pronoun, it would come first: ...desto schneller kann sie sich verbreiten.
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