tanto...quanto
'Tanto...Quanto' with Verbs
The pattern tanto...quanto is used to say that one action happens 'as much as' another. When used with verbs, both words are adverbs and never change their form.
How It Works
In Italian, when we want to express that two actions are equivalent in terms of 'how much' or 'how often,' we use the pair tanto...quanto.
1. Invariability:
Unlike when they are used with nouns (where they act as adjectives and must agree in gender and number), when used with verbs, tanto and quanto are adverbs. This means they are invariable: they always stay in the masculine singular form.
2. Omission of 'Tanto':
In modern, everyday Italian, the first part (tanto) is very often omitted. Using just quanto is perfectly correct and very common in speech (e.g., 'Lavoro quanto te'). The full form tanto...quanto is slightly more formal or used for extra emphasis.
3. Placement:
The expression usually follows the verb. In compound tenses like the passato prossimo, the pattern most commonly follows the past participle (e.g., 'Ho studiato tanto quanto te'), though tanto can occasionally be placed between the auxiliary and the past participle for specific emphasis.
4. Pronoun Choice:
When the comparison is made against a person represented by a pronoun, you usually use stressed pronouns (me, te, lui, lei, noi, voi, loro). For example: 'Lui corre quanto me' (more natural than 'quanto io').
5. Quantity vs. Quality:
It is important to distinguish this from così...come. Use tanto...quanto for 'as much as' (quantity) and così...come for 'in the same way as' (quality).
Examples (4)
- Marco studia tanto quanto lavora.
Marco studies as much as he works.
Word by Word: Marco studies as much as works.
Here, two different actions (studying and working) by the same subject are compared in quantity.
- Dormo quanto te, ma sono sempre stanco.
I sleep as much as you, but I am always tired.
Word by Word: I sleep as much as you, but am always tired.
In this common spoken form, 'tanto' is omitted. The action of sleeping is compared between two subjects.
- In vacanza abbiamo mangiato tanto quanto abbiamo camminato.
On vacation we ate as much as we walked.
Word by Word: In vacation we have eaten as much as we have walked.
In compound tenses, the comparative follows the past participles.
- Non guadagna tanto quanto vorrebbe.
He doesn't earn as much as he would like.
Word by Word: Not he earns as much as he would like.
This shows a negative comparison, indicating the quantity of earnings is less than the desired amount.
Common Mistakes
Adding 'di' in a comparison of equality.
Lavoro tanto quanto di te.Lavoro tanto quanto te.'Di' belongs to 'più' and 'meno' ('più di te'). With 'tanto ... quanto', the pronoun follows 'quanto' directly: 'tanto quanto te'.
Trying to make 'tanto' or 'quanto' agree with a noun or subject.
Lei legge tanta quanto lui.Lei legge tanto quanto lui.When comparing verbs, 'tanto' and 'quanto' are adverbs and must remain invariable. Do not change them to 'tanta' or 'quanta'.
Mixing the pairs (e.g., using 'tanto...come').
Lavoro tanto come te.Lavoro tanto quanto te.The usual pairs are 'tanto ... quanto' and 'così ... come'. Mixing them as 'tanto ... come' is heard in speech but is less standard.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'tanto...quanto' with verbs, you first need to understand the basic comparative of equality structure. Since this pattern compares actions, you must also be comfortable with basic verb conjugation and how adverbs modify verbs to express degree or extent.
Related Patterns
- molto / poco / troppoAdverbs of Degree
These are other adverbs of quantity that, like 'tanto' in this pattern, remain invariable when modifying verbs.
Level 1 - che / diComparative 'Che' vs. 'Di'
Used for comparisons of majority or minority, which contrast with this comparison of equality.
Level 2 - avere + Past ParticiplePresent Perfect with 'Avere'
Understanding compound tenses is necessary to place 'tanto...quanto' correctly after the past participle.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice tanto...quanto in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Italian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
