Learn Hardcore Swedish: Ju mer jag läser, desto bättre förstår jag svenska. - The more I read, the better I understand Swedish.

It’s a correlative pattern that pairs two comparatives: Ju + comparative + clause, desto + comparative + clause. In English this maps to “the more/less X, the more/less Y.” Both halves are main clauses in Swedish.

Why is it “desto bättre förstår jag …” and not “desto bättre jag förstår …”?

Swedish main clauses obey verb-second (V2) word order. When an adverbial like desto bättre is placed first, the finite verb must come second: desto bättre [förstår] [jag] …. Writing desto bättre jag förstår … would violate V2 in a main clause.

Is the comma before “desto” required?

Yes, it’s standard and recommended. You’re linking two main clauses with the correlative pair ju … desto …, and Swedish commonly uses a comma between such clauses: Ju mer …, desto ….

Can I put the desto-clause first or move the ju-clause to the end?

Yes to both:

Fronted desto-clause: Desto bättre förstår jag svenska, ju mer jag läser.
Trailing ju-clause (no comma usually): Jag förstår svenska bättre ju mer jag läser. You can also keep desto inside the clause when the ju-clause comes last: Jag förstår svenska desto bättre ju mer jag läser.

Can I say ju … ju … instead of ju … desto …?

In standard Swedish, use ju … desto …. You will hear ju … ju … in some dialects and casual speech, but it’s non‑standard in writing.

Where would I place the negation inte in this kind of sentence?

Follow normal placement: in a main clause, inte goes after the finite verb and before most objects.

Inversion with desto: Ju mer jag läser, desto bättre förstår jag inte svenska (grammatical placement, but the meaning is odd). To express a negative correlation, use a negative comparative instead: Ju mer jag läser, desto mindre förstår jag. Or negate outside the correlative: Jag förstår inte svenska bättre ju mer jag läser.

Why is it mer, not fler?

mer = “more” for uncountables, adjectives, or adverbs (amount/degree): mer jag läser (reading more), mer tid (more time).
fler = “more” for countable plurals: ju fler ord jag lär mig, desto bättre ….

Is mera acceptable instead of mer?

Yes. mera is correct but feels a bit more old‑fashioned or dialectal; mer is the default in modern Swedish: Ju mer(a) jag läser ….

What is bättre here—adjective or adverb?

It’s functioning adverbially, modifying the verb förstår (“understand better”). Swedish often uses the same form for adjective and adverb comparatives. Paradigm: bra – bättre – bäst.

Why isn’t svenska capitalized?

Names of languages are not capitalized in Swedish: svenska, engelska, franska. Capitalize only at the start of a sentence or in proper names/titles.

Why is there no article before svenska?

Language names used as objects behave like mass nouns and normally take no article: jag förstår svenska. Adding an article would change the meaning (e.g., en svenska = “a Swedish woman”).

What’s the difference between svenska and svenskan?

svenska (no -n): “Swedish (the language)” in a general, non‑definite sense, commonly as an object: förstår svenska.
svenskan (definite): “the Swedish language” as a topic/subject: Svenskan är svår (“Swedish is difficult”). Using svenskan as a direct object in this sentence would be unusual.

Can I replace läser with studerar?

Yes, but nuance changes:

läser = read; also commonly “study (a subject)” in Swedish: Jag läser svenska = “I’m studying Swedish.”
studerar = study (more formal/academic): Ju mer jag studerar, desto bättre förstår jag svenska.

Does Swedish use a separate progressive (“am reading”)?

No. The present tense covers both simple and progressive meanings. Jag läser can mean “I read” or “I am reading,” with context deciding.

Can I change the degree words for other comparisons?

Absolutely. The frame stays the same:

Ju mindre tid jag har, desto sämre går det.
Ju tidigare jag börjar, desto snabbare blir jag klar.
Ju fler exempel jag ser, desto lättare är det.

Is som ever used in the ju-clause (e.g., ju mer som jag läser)?

No. The pattern is ju + comparative + [subject + verb …] without som: Ju mer jag läser … (not ju mer som jag läser).

Any quick pronunciation tips for the key words?

Approximate cues (not strict IPA):

ju: “yoo” but with the Swedish rounded front vowel [ʉː].
mer: “meh-rr” with a long e.
läser: “LEH-sehr” (ä like a long “e” in “bed,” then schwa).
desto: “DES-sto” (short final o).
bättre: “BET-treh” (short, tense ä; double t).
förstår: roughly “fer-STOR,” with Swedish ö [œ] and long å [oː]; the r + st can sound retroflex.