lige så ... som

As ... as (Lige Så ... Som)

Level 2

The Danish pattern lige så [adjective/adverb] som is the equivalent of the English 'as [adjective/adverb] as'. It is used to show that two things are equal.

How It Works

The structure lige så ... som is the standard way to express equality in Danish.

1. The Three Parts
Unlike English, which uses 'as' twice, Danish uses three distinct parts:

  • lige: Acts as a precision marker (literally 'equally').
  • så: The degree marker ('so').
  • som: The comparison connector ('as').

2. Adjective Agreement
The adjective placed between så and som must follow standard adjective agreement rules:

  • Common gender: Bilen er lige så stor som bussen.
  • Neuter gender: Huset er lige så stort som haven (adds -t).
  • Plural: De er lige så glade som os (adds -e).

3. Negation
When you want to say 'not as... as', the word lige is typically dropped. You simply use ikke så ... som. Using ikke lige så is possible but usually implies 'not exactly as', which is a more specific nuance.

4. Pronoun Case
In modern spoken Danish, it is most common to use object pronouns after som (e.g., som mig, som ham) rather than subject pronouns.

Examples (5)

  1. Min nye cykel er lige så hurtig som din.

    My new bike is as fast as yours.

    Word by Word: My new bike is equally so fast as yours.

    A standard comparison of equality using a common-gender noun (cykel).

  2. Det her æble er lige så sødt som det der.

    This apple is as sweet as that one.

    Word by Word: This here apple is equally so sweet as that there.

    Note that 'sødt' takes a -t because 'æble' is a neuter noun.

  3. Han taler dansk lige så godt som en indfødt.

    He speaks Danish as well as a native.

    Word by Word: He speaks Danish equally so well as a native.

    Here, the pattern is used with an adverb (godt) to compare how an action is performed.

  4. Filmen var ikke så god som bogen.

    The movie was not as good as the book.

    Word by Word: The movie was not so good as the book.

    In the negative, 'lige' is dropped, leaving just 'ikke så ... som'.

  5. Jeg har lige så mange penge som dig.

    I have as much money as you.

    Word by Word: I have equally so many money as you.

    The pattern can be used with 'mange' (many) or 'meget' (much) to compare quantities of nouns.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping 'lige' in affirmative sentences.

    Han er så høj som mig.
    Han er lige så høj som mig.

    In Danish, 'så høj som' sounds like an incomplete thought or a result clause ('so tall that...'). You need 'lige' to mean 'as tall as'.

  • Confusing 'lige så' (comparison) with 'ligeså' (likewise).

    Han er ligeså gammel som hende.
    Han er lige så gammel som hende.

    'Ligeså' (one word) means 'likewise' or 'also'. For comparisons, you must use two separate words: 'lige så'.

  • Using 'end' instead of 'som' for equality.

    Min bil er lige så hurtig end din.
    Min bil er lige så hurtig som din.

    'End' is only used for 'than' in unequal comparisons (e.g., hurtigere end). For equality, always use 'som'.

How It Connects

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

lige så ... somLevel 2As ... as (Lige Så ... Som)

Learn This First

To use 'lige så ... som', you need to understand how to use adjectives to describe subjects, typically following the verb 'være'. You also need to know how to negate sentences to express that two things are not equal in a specific quality.

Words in This Pattern

ligesåsom