hoe...hoe

The More...the More

Level 3

The Dutch pattern hoe... hoe... (or hoe... des te...) connects two comparative adjectives to show that as one thing increases or decreases, another thing changes in proportion. For example: 'The more you eat, the fuller you get.'

How It Works

The hoe... hoe... construction is the standard way to express 'the [more]... the [more]...' in Dutch.

1. Structure of the First Clause:
The first clause always starts with hoe followed immediately by a comparative form (adjective or adverb). Crucially, this clause uses subordinate word order, meaning the finite verb moves to the very end.
Example: Hoe sneller je loopt... (The faster you walk...)

2. Nouns and Quantifiers:
If the comparative modifies a noun, the noun must stay immediately after the comparative form.
Example: Hoe meer geld je hebt... (The more money you have...)

3. Structure of the Second Clause:
The second clause can start with either hoe or des te.

  • If you use hoe, the word order is typically subordinate (Subject + Verb at the end).
  • If you use des te, the word order usually involves inversion (Verb + Subject).
  • In very formal contexts, you may occasionally see des te... des te... used in both clauses.

4. Punctuation:
In Dutch, a comma normally separates the two clauses to separate the proportional parts.

5. Fixed Expressions:
In short, idiomatic phrases without verbs, only hoe... hoe... is used.
Example: Hoe eerder, hoe beter. (The sooner, the better.)

Examples (5)

  1. Hoe meer je oefent, hoe beter je wordt.

    The more you practice, the better you become.

    Word by Word: How more you practice, how better you become.

    Notice that in both clauses, the verbs 'oefent' and 'wordt' are at the end of their respective phrases.

  2. Hoe langer de film duurt, des te saaier vindt hij hem.

    The longer the film lasts, the more boring he finds it.

    Word by Word: How longer the film lasts, the-so-much more-boring finds he him.

    When using 'des te', the verb 'vindt' comes immediately after the adjective, causing inversion with the subject 'hij'.

  3. Hoe eerder we vertrekken, hoe minder file er is.

    The earlier we leave, the less traffic there is.

    Word by Word: How earlier we leave, how less traffic there is.

    This shows a proportional relationship between time of departure and traffic volume.

  4. Hoe ouder hij wordt, hoe wijzer hij is.

    The older he gets, the wiser he is.

    Word by Word: How older he becomes, how wiser he is.

    Both 'wordt' and 'is' are placed at the end of their clauses.

  5. Hoe meer zielen, hoe meer vreugd.

    The more the merrier.

    Word by Word: How more souls, how more joy.

    A common Dutch idiom using the 'hoe... hoe...' pattern without verbs.

Common Mistakes

  • Using main clause word order in the first clause.

    Hoe meer oefen je, hoe beter word je.
    Hoe meer je oefent, hoe beter je wordt.

    English speakers often want to use main clause word order, but the first clause must always follow subordinate word order with the verb at the end.

  • Using the base adjective instead of the comparative form.

    Hoe goed je bestudeert, hoe meer je leert.
    Hoe beter je bestudeert, hoe meer je leert.

    You must use the comparative form (beter) rather than the base form (goed) in this construction.

  • Using 'dan' in the second clause.

    Hoe sneller je gaat, dan eerder ben je er.
    Hoe sneller je gaat, hoe eerder je er bent.

    Learners sometimes confuse this with 'than' comparisons. The second part must start with 'hoe' or 'des te', never 'dan'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

hoe...hoeLevel 3The More...the More

Learn This First

To learn 'hoe...hoe', you first need to know how to form comparative adjectives. Additionally, this pattern is syntactically complex: the first clause functions like a subordinate clause (SOV order), while the second clause uses inversion (V2 order) because the 'hoe + comparative' phrase occupies the first position.

Words in This Pattern

hoe