tan + Adjective + como

Equality Comparisons

Level 1

Use 'tan + adjective + como' to say two things are equal in a quality, like 'as tall as' or 'as smart as'.

How It Works

When you want to say that two things are equal in some way, you use the structure tan + adjective + como. It's the direct equivalent of 'as...as' in English.

The formula is straightforward:
Noun 1 + Verb + tan + Adjective + como + Noun 2

A crucial rule is that the adjective must always agree with the first noun in the comparison. This is a key part of adjective agreement.

For example:

  • Masculine: El perro es tan grande como el lobo. (The dog is as big as the wolf.)
  • Feminine: La casa es tan grande como el apartamento. (The house is as big as the apartment.)

Notice how 'grande' doesn't change because it ends in '-e'. But with other adjectives, the change is clear:

  • Mi hermano es tan alto como mi padre. (alto is masculine)
  • Mi hermana es tan alta como mi madre. (alta is feminine)

The verb used is typically ser for characteristics, but you can also use estar for states or conditions, which need not be brief.

Tan is invariable; only the adjective agrees. The comparison can end with a clause too: No fue tan difícil como pensaba. Negating the pattern means 'not as ... as'. Distinguish tan ... que + a result clause ('so ... that') from this equality comparison.

Examples (5)

  1. Mi hermano es tan alto como mi padre.

    My brother is as tall as my father.

    Word by Word: My brother is as tall as my father.

  2. Esta sopa está tan caliente como el café.

    This soup is as hot as the coffee.

    Word by Word: This soup is as hot as the coffee.

    'Estar' presents the soup and coffee's temperature as a state. The choice is not governed simply by how long that state lasts.

  3. Las manzanas son tan deliciosas como las peras.

    The apples are as delicious as the pears.

    Word by Word: The apples are as delicious as the pears.

    The adjective 'deliciosas' is feminine and plural to agree with 'las manzanas'.

  4. El examen no fue tan difícil como pensaba.

    The exam was not as difficult as I thought.

    Word by Word: The exam not was as difficult as I thought.

  5. Ella es tan inteligente como su hermana.

    She is as intelligent as her sister.

    Word by Word: She is as intelligent as her sister.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'que' instead of 'como'.

    Mi coche es tan rápido que el tuyo.
    Mi coche es tan rápido como el tuyo.

    Use como for this equality comparison. Tan ... que introduces a result clause ('so ... that'), which is a different structure. Más/menos ... que express unequal degree.

  • Forgetting to match the adjective's gender and number with the noun it describes.

    La casa es tan bonito como el jardín.
    La casa es tan bonita como el jardín.

    The adjective must agree with the first noun in the comparison. Since 'la casa' is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine ('bonita'), not masculine ('bonito').

How It Connects

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tan + Adjective + comoLevel 1Equality Comparisons

Learn This First

To use 'tan + adjective + como' effectively, you need to understand how adjectives function in Spanish, specifically how they agree with the nouns they modify. It is also helpful to be familiar with the basic comparative structure (más...que) and the use of the verb 'ser' for describing characteristics, as these form the foundation for making comparisons of equality.

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Words in This Pattern

tan