Italian Comparisons of Equality: Using 'così... come' and 'tanto... quanto'
Learn to say 'as tall as' and 'not as tall as' in Italian using così... come and tanto... quanto, with clear examples and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Italian, to say that two people or things are equal in some way, you do not use the same structure as English 'as... as'. Instead, Italian commonly uses 'così... come' or 'tanto... quanto'. For example, 'Lei è così alta come suo fratello' means 'She is as tall as her brother'. To make a negative comparison of equality, you put 'non' before the verb: 'Lei non è così alta come suo fratello' means 'She is not as tall as her brother'. This lesson teaches you these patterns step by step, with attention to agreement and word order.
By the end, you can…
- compare two people or things as equal using 'così... come' in Italian.
- make a negative equality comparison using 'non... così... come'.
- use 'tanto... quanto' as an alternative to 'così... come'.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Marco è così alto come Luca.
Marco is as tall as Luca.
MAR-koh eh KOH-zee AL-toh KOH-meh LOO-kah
Standard comparison of equality with adjectives. 'così' can be omitted in everyday speech: 'Marco è alto come Luca.'
Questa pizza non è così buona come quella.
This pizza is not as good as that one.
KWEES-tah PEET-tsah non eh KOH-zee BWOH-nah KOH-meh KWEL-lah
Negative equality: 'non' before the verb, then 'così... come'. 'quella' refers to a previously mentioned feminine noun.
Ho tanto sonno quanto te.
I am as sleepy as you.
oh TAN-toh SOHN-noh KWAHN-toh teh
'tanto... quanto' is a common alternative to 'così... come', especially with nouns. Literally: 'I have as much sleep as you.'
Non ho tanta fame come pensi.
I am not as hungry as you think.
non oh TAN-tah FAH-meh KOH-meh PEHN-see
Negative with 'tanto... quanto/come'. 'fame' is feminine, so 'tanta' agrees with it.
Lei parla italiano così bene come un madrelingua.
She speaks Italian as well as a native speaker.
lay PAR-lah ee-tah-LYAH-noh KOH-zee BEH-neh KOH-meh oon mah-dreh-LEEN-gwah
Adverb 'bene' in an equality comparison. 'come' introduces the second term.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The basic pattern is: subject + verb + così + adjective/adverb + come + second term. Example: 'Il libro è così interessante come il film' (The book is as interesting as the film). In everyday Italian, 'così' is often left out: 'Il libro è interessante come il film'. With nouns, use 'tanto... quanto': 'Ho tanti amici quanti ne ha lei' (I have as many friends as she does). Remember that adjectives agree in gender and number: 'alto/alta/alti/alte'.
When to use it
Use these structures to state equality or lack of equality. For negative sentences, place 'non' before the verb: 'Non sono così stanco come te' (I am not as tired as you). In informal speech, 'come' is more common than 'quanto' after 'così', but both are correct. Regional note: In Tuscany and central Italy, you may hear 'come' used more frequently; in the north, 'quanto' is also common. Avoid using 'di' here; 'di' is for comparisons of inequality, as in 'più alto di' (taller than).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! È vero che tua sorella è così alta come te?
Hi! Is it true that your sister is as tall as you?CHAH-oh! eh VEH-roh keh TOO-ah soh-REL-lah eh KOH-zee AL-tah KOH-meh teh?No, non è così alta come me. È un po' più bassa.
No, she is not as tall as me. She is a bit shorter.noh, non eh KOH-zee AL-tah KOH-meh meh. eh oon poh pyoo BAHS-sah.Ah, capisco. E tuo fratello? È tanto simpatico quanto te?
Ah, I see. And your brother? Is he as nice as you?ah, kah-PEES-koh. eh TOO-oh FRAH-tel-loh? eh TAN-toh seem-PAH-tee-koh KWAHN-toh teh?Sì, è simpatico come me, ma non è così studioso come nostra cugina.
Yes, he is as nice as me, but he is not as studious as our cousin.see, eh seem-PAH-tee-koh KOH-meh meh, mah non eh KOH-zee stoo-DYOH-zoh KOH-meh NOHS-trah koo-JEE-nah.A little context goes a long way
In Italian, comparisons of equality are common in everyday conversation, but the choice between 'così... come' and 'tanto... quanto' can vary by region and style. 'Così... come' is more frequent in informal speech, while 'tanto... quanto' sounds slightly more formal or emphatic. When speaking with strangers or in writing, either is acceptable, but be careful with adjective agreement.
One thing to watch for
Using 'di' instead of 'come' in an equality comparison, as in 'Lei è alta di me'.
Try this instead: For equality, use 'come' or 'quanto': 'Lei è alta come me' (She is as tall as me). 'Di' is only for inequality: 'Lei è più alta di me' (She is taller than me).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Translate: 'This car is as fast as that one.' (Use 'così... come'.)
Show a sample answer
Questa macchina è così veloce come quella.
'così' before the adjective 'veloce', 'come' before the second term 'quella'. In everyday speech, 'così' can be omitted: 'Questa macchina è veloce come quella.'
2Make it negative: 'Luca è simpatico come Paolo.'
Show a sample answer
Luca non è così simpatico come Paolo.
Add 'non' before the verb 'è'. You may also say 'Luca non è simpatico come Paolo' without 'così'. Both are correct.
3Translate: 'I have as many books as you.' (Use 'tanto... quanto'.)
Show a sample answer
Ho tanti libri quanti ne hai tu.
'tanti' agrees with 'libri' (masculine plural). 'quanti' agrees with 'libri'. The pronoun 'ne' is often added before the verb in the second clause. Alternatively: 'Ho tanti libri come te' is also heard, but less precise.
To compare things as equal in Italian, use 'così... come' or 'tanto... quanto'. For negatives, put 'non' before the verb. Remember adjective agreement and avoid 'di' for equality.
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