Comparing Amounts and Qualities with Tan and Tanto in Spanish

Comparing Amounts and Qualities with Tan and Tanto in Spanish

In this lesson, you will compare equal qualities and equal quantities with tan and tanto. The key is to distinguish the degree of an adjective or adverb from the amount of a noun or the amount of an activity.

Tan with an adjective

Use tan + adjective + como to say that two people or things have an equal degree of a quality.

• Este hotel es tan grande como aquel. — This hotel is as large as that one.
• La camiseta azul es tan barata como la blanca. — The blue T-shirt is as cheap as the white one.
• Ana es tan alta como Marta. — Ana is as tall as Marta.

Tan does not change for gender or number.

Tan with an adverb

Tan can also compare the degree of an adverb.

• Ana habla tan rápido como Carlos. — Ana speaks as fast as Carlos.
• Trabajo tan temprano como Marta. — I work as early as Marta.

For this lesson, rápido — quickly / fast and temprano — early are familiar comparison words.

Tanto with a noun

Before a noun, tanto changes to match the noun in gender and number.

• Tengo tanto trabajo como Ana. — I have as much work as Ana.
• Bebo tanta agua como Carlos. — I drink as much water as Carlos.
• Tengo tantos libros como Marta. — I have as many books as Marta.
• Compro tantas camisetas como Ana. — I buy as many T-shirts as Ana.

The four noun forms are tanto, tanta, tantos, and tantas.

Choose the noun form by the noun

Noun	Correct form	Example
trabajo — work	tanto	tanto trabajo — as much work
agua — water	tanta	tanta agua — as much water
libros — books	tantos	tantos libros — as many books
camisetas — T-shirts	tantas	tantas camisetas — as many T-shirts

Tanto after a verb

When tanto refers to the amount of an activity and is not directly modifying a noun, it stays in the fixed form tanto.

• Trabajo tanto como Ana. — I work as much as Ana.
• Estudio tanto como Carlos. — I study as much as Carlos.
• Viajo tanto como Marta. — I travel as much as Marta.

Do not change tanto to tanta, tantos, or tantas in this verb pattern.

Quality versus quantity

Compare:

• La habitación es tan grande como aquella. — The room is as large as that one.
• La habitación tiene tanto espacio como aquella. — The room has as much space as that one.

The first compares the degree of the adjective grande — large. The second compares the quantity of the noun espacio — space.

Adjective versus noun

Compare:

• El café es tan bueno como este. — The coffee is as good as this one.
• Bebo tanto café como Ana. — I drink as much coffee as Ana.

Amount of activity

Compare:

• Estudio tanto como Ana. — I study as much as Ana.
• Tengo tantos libros como Ana. — I have as many books as Ana.

The first compares how much an action happens. The second compares the number of books.

Common error: tan before a noun

Use tanto, not tan, directly with a noun.

Correct:

Tengo tanto trabajo como tú. — I have as much work as you.

Common error: changing tanto after a verb

When tanto stands after the verb to compare activity, keep it fixed.

Trabajo tanto como tú. — I work as much as you.

Short conversation

Person A: ¿Tu hotel es tan grande como este? — Is your hotel as large as this one?

Person B: Sí, es tan grande como este. — Yes, it is as large as this one.

Person A: ¿Tiene tantas habitaciones como este? — Does it have as many rooms as this one?

Person B: No, no tiene tantas habitaciones. — No, it does not have as many rooms.

A practical choice method

1. If you compare the degree of an adjective or adverb, use tan...como.
2. If you compare the quantity of a noun, use tanto / tanta / tantos / tantas...como.
3. Match tanto to the noun's gender and number.
4. If you compare how much an action happens, use the fixed form tanto after the verb.
5. Do not confuse equal degree with equal quantity.

From Tan and Tanto to the Personal A

You can now compare equal qualities, quantities, and amounts of activity without mixing tan and tanto. The next lesson introduces the Spanish personal a before specific human direct objects.