desto
Translation
the (more/less etc.), all the more
Examples
Je früher, desto besser.
The sooner, the better.
Je mehr man hat, desto mehr will man.
The more one has, the more one wants.
Grammar Patterns
je + comparative ..., desto + comparative ... the ... the ... Je mehr du isst, desto dicker wirst du.
Similar Words
Synonyms: umso
Etymology
From Old High German 'des diu', meaning 'by that'. Related to the demonstrative pronoun 'das'.
Memory Tips
Always remember it in the fixed structure 'Je..., desto...'. Think of it as a seesaw: as 'je' goes up, 'desto' goes up too.