così...come / tanto...quanto
Comparative of Equality (Così...come / Tanto...quanto)
The comparativo di uguaglianza is used to express that two things are equal in quality, quantity, or action. It translates to 'as... as' or 'as much/many... as' in English.
How It Works
The comparative of equality establishes parity between two terms.
1. With Adjectives and Adverbs
You can use either (così)... come or (tanto)... quanto. In modern spoken Italian, the first part (così/tanto) is often dropped.
- Maria è (così) alta come sua sorella. (Maria is as tall as her sister.)
- Corro (tanto) velocemente quanto te. (I run as fast as you.)
2. With Nouns (Quantity)
Only tanto... quanto is used. Crucially, these must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.
- Ho tanti libri quanti te. (I have as many books as you.)
- Abbiamo tante sedie quante persone. (We have as many chairs as people.)
3. With Verbs (Actions)
Use tanto quanto to emphasize the quantity or intensity of an action ('as much as'). Use come to compare the manner or general equality of the action.
- Dormo tanto quanto te. (I sleep as much as you.)
- Dormo come te. (I sleep like you / the same way you do.)
4. Comparing Two Qualities of One Subject
When you describe one person with two different adjectives, tanto... quanto is preferred.
- È tanto bella quanto intelligente. (She is as beautiful as she is intelligent.)
Examples (5)
- Il mio ufficio è grande come il tuo.
My office is as big as yours.
Word by Word: The my office is big as the yours.
Here, 'così' is omitted, which is very common in casual speech when comparing adjectives.
- Ho tante mele quante pere.
I have as many apples as pears.
Word by Word: I have as many apples as many pears.
When comparing nouns, 'tanto' and 'quanto' must agree in gender and number (feminine plural here).
- Lavoro tanto quanto guadagno.
I work as much as I earn.
Word by Word: I work as much as I earn.
When comparing verbs, 'tanto quanto' remains invariable.
- Lui è tanto simpatico quanto pigro.
He is as nice as he is lazy.
Word by Word: He is as much nice as much lazy.
This structure is used to compare two different qualities of the same person.
- La pizza è così buona come ricordavo.
The pizza is as good as I remembered.
Word by Word: The pizza is so good as I remembered.
Using 'così' adds a slight emphasis to the quality being compared.
Common Mistakes
Using 'come' to compare quantities.
Different MeaningHo libri come te.Ho tanti libri quanti ne hai tu.'Ho libri come te' is a correct sentence, but it only says you have books like the other person does; it does not compare how many. To say 'as many as', use 'tanto... quanto'.
Forgetting noun agreement with 'tanto... quanto'.
Ho tanto macchine quanto te.Ho tante macchine quante ne hai tu.When used with nouns, 'tanto' and 'quanto' function as adjectives and must match the noun's gender and number.
Using 'di' or 'che' for equality.
Maria è alta di me.Maria è alta come me.'Di' and 'che' are used for 'more than' or 'less than.' For equality, use 'come' or 'quanto'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the comparative of equality, you need to understand how adjectives agree with nouns, as 'tanto... quanto' often functions as an adjective. Additionally, familiarity with adverbs of degree and the general concept of Italian comparative structures (like più/meno) will help you correctly apply the 'così... come' and 'tanto... quanto' formulas.
- molto / poco / troppoAdverbs of Degree
Understanding how adverbs of degree function is essential for using 'tanto' and 'così' as intensifiers in comparative structures.
Level 1 - più...di / meno...diComparative (Più/meno...di)
Learning the basic structure of comparisons (più/meno... di) provides the conceptual framework for understanding equality comparisons.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- che / diComparative 'Che' vs. 'Di'
Explains when to use 'che' instead of 'di' in comparisons, which is a common point of confusion for learners.
Level 2 - Adjective Agreement
Essential for correctly changing 'tanto' and 'quanto' to match nouns in gender and number.
Level 1 - tanto...quanto'Tanto...Quanto' with Verbs
A specific look at how this pattern functions when comparing actions rather than qualities.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice così...come / tanto...quanto in Bubblegum
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