Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
Different but Together in Spanish
Comparing everyday objects helps children understand their environment. In Spanish, we use specific structures to show that things are either equal or different in quality.
What you'll learn
- Express equality using the 'tan... como' structure
- Use 'igual de... que' for emphasizing that things are exactly the same
- Compare items negatively using 'no tan... como'
Spanish phrases for different but together
Tu mochila es tan pesada como la mía.
Your school bag is as heavy as mine.
Use 'tan' before the adjective and 'como' for the second 'as'.
Tu lonchera es igual de grande que la de tu hermano.
Your lunchbox is just as big as your brother's.
'Igual de... que' is a common alternative to 'tan... como'.
Este libro no es tan largo como ese.
This book is not as long as that one.
Simply add 'no' to show that something is not equal.
Corres tan rápido como tu amigo.
You run just as fast as your friend.
This structure works for adverbs like 'rápido' (fast) as well as adjectives.
Tu lápiz nuevo es tan largo como el mío.
Your new pencil is as long as mine.
'Mío' agrees with 'lápiz'.
La tarea de hoy no es tan difícil como la de ayer.
Today's homework is not as hard as yesterday's.
'La de ayer' means 'the one from yesterday'.
Tu manzana es tan dulce como la mía.
Your apple is just as sweet as mine.
'Dulce' describes the quality of the apple.
El patio no es tan tranquilo como la biblioteca.
The playground is not as quiet as the library.
Note that 'tranquilo' matches the masculine 'patio'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
tan
as / so
Used before adjectives to start a comparison of equality.
como
as / like
Used to introduce the second part of the comparison.
igual de
equally / just as
Usually paired with 'que' instead of 'como'.
pesada
heavy
Feminine form of 'pesado' to match 'mochila'.
Comparisons of Equality
To say that two things are the same in some way, use 'tan + [adjective] + como'. The adjective must always match the gender and number of the first noun mentioned.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Equality | tan + adj + como | tan alto como (as tall as) |
| Emphasis | igual de + adj + que | igual de pequeño que (just as small as) |
Negative Comparisons
To say something is 'not as... as', add 'no' before the verb (usually 'es' or 'está').
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inequality | no + es + tan + adj + como | no es tan frío como (is not as cold as) |
More examples
Mi gato es tan pequeño como el tuyo.
My cat is as small as yours.
Comparing two pets.
El jugo de naranja está igual de frío que el agua.
The orange juice is just as cold as the water.
Using 'igual de... que' for food items.
Este juego no es tan divertido como el otro.
This game is not as fun as the other one.
A common way to express preference.