je … desto

je + Komparativ …, desto + Komparativ … links two changes: the more one thing happens, the more the other does.

• Je mehr ich übe, desto sicherer werde ich.

Word order is the hard part: the je-clause sends its verb to the end; the desto-part puts its verb right after desto + comparative (and any noun that belongs to it): desto mehr Wörter lerne ich. umso works like desto: Je früher, umso besser.