jo ... jo
The More ... the More (Jo ... Jo)
Use jo + comparative followed by jo + comparative to show how two things change together. It is the standard conversational way to say 'the more, the better'.
How It Works
The jo ... jo construction is the most common way in spoken Danish to express that one change causes another. While formal writing might use jo ... desto, jo ... jo is the neutral, everyday choice.
1. The Comparative Requirement
Both parts of the expression must be followed by a comparative adjective or adverb (e.g., mere, bedre, hurtigere). You cannot use the base form of the word.
2. Word Order (The Asymmetry)
This is the most difficult part for learners. The two halves of the sentence are not grammatically identical:
- The First Clause: Functions like a subordinate clause. The word order is Subject + Verb. Example: Jo mere du træner...
- The Second Clause: Functions like a main clause. Because the comparative phrase (jo + adjective) occupies the first slot, the verb must come second (V2 rule). The word order is Verb + Subject. Example: ...jo bedre bliver du.
3. Short Phrases
In fixed expressions or short responses, the verbs are often omitted entirely, such as in Jo før, jo bedre (The sooner, the better).
Examples (4)
- Jo mere jeg læser, jo mindre forstår jeg.
The more I read, the less I understand.
Word by Word: The more I read, the less understand I.
Notice the inversion in the second clause: 'forstår' (verb) comes before 'jeg' (subject).
- Jo før vi kommer i gang, jo hurtigere bliver vi færdige.
The sooner we get started, the faster we'll be finished.
Word by Word: The sooner we come in gear, the faster become we finished.
The first clause follows Subject-Verb order (vi kommer), while the second flips to Verb-Subject (bliver vi).
- Jo flere, jo bedre.
The more [people], the better.
Word by Word: The more, the better.
A common short phrase where the verbs are omitted for brevity.
- Jo dyrere vinen er, jo bedre smager den ofte.
The more expensive the wine is, the better it often tastes.
Word by Word: The more expensive the wine is, the better tastes it often.
Even with longer subjects like 'vinen', the V2 rule in the second clause remains strict.
Common Mistakes
Using Subject-Verb order in the second clause.
Jo mere jeg træner, jo bedre jeg bliver.Jo mere jeg træner, jo bedre bliver jeg.In Danish, the second clause must follow the V2 rule. Since 'jo bedre' is the first element, the verb 'bliver' must come next.
Starting the sentence with 'desto'.
Desto mere man spiser, jo tykkere bliver man.Jo mere man spiser, jo tykkere bliver man.While 'desto' can be used in the second clause (jo... desto), it can never be used to start the first clause in this construction.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'jo ... jo', you need to understand how to form comparative adjectives and how to structure comparative correlative sentences. Since 'jo ... jo' is a colloquial version of 'jo ... desto', familiarity with the formal version is helpful, along with an understanding of Danish subordinate clause word order.
Related Patterns
- Verb-Second Word Order
The fundamental word order rule that causes the verb-subject inversion in the second clause of this pattern.
Level 2 - Word Order In Subordinate Clauses
The first clause of the 'jo... jo' pattern follows the rules for subordinate clauses.
Level 2 - -ere/-estComparative and Superlative -ere/-est
This pattern requires the use of comparative adjectives, which are often formed with the -ere suffix.
Level 2 - jo (modalpartikel)Modal Particle Jo
A common source of confusion; the particle 'jo' (meaning 'as you know') is a different grammatical animal than the correlative 'jo' used here.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice jo ... jo in Bubblegum
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