Breakdown of Der Cocktail ist umso besser, als der Barkeeper frische Limetten benutzt.
sein
to be
gut
good / well
frisch
fresh
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
umso
the (alternative second part)
benutzen
to use
als
as (in 'insofern ... als')
der Barkeeper
the bartender
der Cocktail
the cocktail
die Limette
the lime
Questions & Answers about Der Cocktail ist umso besser, als der Barkeeper frische Limetten benutzt.
Wait, why is "als" used here instead of "weil" or "da"? Doesn't "als" usually mean "when" or "than"?
In this specific structure, umso followed by a comparative and then als, the word als acts as a causal conjunction meaning "since" or "given that." It explains why the first part is true. While you could use weil, the combination umso ..., als is a fixed, elegant expression meaning "all the [comparative], since...".
I know "umso" from "je ... umso" (the ... the). Can "umso" be used on its own like this?
Yes! While commonly paired with je, umso can be used with a comparative adjective in a main clause to mean "all the [comparative]." Here, umso besser simply means "all the better." It emphasizes that the cocktail's quality is increased specifically because of the bartender's action.
Could I use "desto" instead of "umso" here, like saying "ist desto besser"?
No, in this specific standalone construction you must use umso. The word desto is strictly used as the second half of a je ..., desto ... sentence (the ..., the ...) and doesn't work on its own to mean "all the".
Since this lesson is about the epitome particle "schlechthin", how could I add it to this sentence to mean "the ultimate cocktail"?
You would place it directly after the noun you are elevating. You could change the beginning to Der Cocktail schlechthin ist umso besser... (The ultimate cocktail is all the better...). This emphasizes that it isn't just any drink, but the absolute best example of a cocktail.
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