B2-18 · Link two changes with je ... desto
Remote work
Connect changing conditions and results with je ... desto and je ... umso.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Two things change together
In a fictional remote team, Eda describes her own working day. Je + comparative introduces one changing condition; desto + comparative introduces the corresponding result. The finite verb goes to the end of the je-clause.
Je ruhiger mein Arbeitsplatz ist, desto leichter fällt mir die Konzentration.
The quieter my workspace is, the easier I find it to concentrate.
Je klarer wir die Aufgaben verteilen, desto weniger Rückfragen entstehen.
The more clearly we assign tasks, the fewer follow-up questions arise.
Je früher ich beginne, desto früher bin ich fertig.
The earlier I start, the earlier I finish.
Je länger die Besprechung dauert, desto später mache ich Pause.
The longer the meeting lasts, the later I take a break.
The desto-clause is a main clause. The full comparative phrase comes first, followed by the finite verb: desto leichter fällt ... . These observations belong to Eda's scenario, not to every home office.
02
Umso uses the same structure
Umso can replace desto in this paired construction. The word order stays the same. A comparative phrase can include a noun: je mehr Termine ..., umso weniger Zeit ... .
Je flexibler meine Arbeitszeit ist, umso besser passt sie zu meinem Alltag.
The more flexible my working hours are, the better they fit my daily life.
Je mehr Termine ich habe, umso weniger Zeit bleibt mir für den Entwurf.
The more appointments I have, the less time I have left for the draft.
Je genauer Eda den Plan erklärt, umso leichter versteht ihn das Team.
The more precisely Eda explains the plan, the more easily the team understands it.
Je seltener wir uns sehen, umso wichtiger ist der gemeinsame Kalender.
The less often we see each other, the more important the shared calendar is.
Keep the subject and finite verb inside each clause. In umso weniger Zeit bleibt mir, the whole phrase umso weniger Zeit fills the first position.
03
Build the sentence in two halves
Start with a change and finish with its linked result. A result may increase or decrease: mehr meetings can leave weniger time. Use the comparative that describes the intended direction.
Je besser die Verbindung ist, desto flüssiger läuft das Videogespräch.
The better the connection is, the more smoothly the video call runs.
Je länger ich ohne Pause arbeite, umso müder werde ich.
The longer I work without a break, the more tired I become.
Je klarer die Absprachen sind, desto selbstständiger arbeitet unser Team.
The clearer the agreements are, the more independently our team works.
Je weniger Unterbrechungen es gibt, desto schneller beende ich den Bericht.
The fewer interruptions there are, the faster I finish the report.
Both desto and umso are valid in the second half. The exercises keep that choice fixed and test the comparative or the position of the finite verb.
Ready to try it?
Check what you remember with 12 short questions.
Loading quiz…