In this lesson, we will learn how to express equality in Spanish using phrases like “la misma”, “el mismo”, “las mismas”, “los mismos”, and variations of “tanto como”. This will help you describe similarities between objects, quantities, and qualities in various contexts.
Objectives:
- Understand the usage of phrases like “la misma,” “el mismo,” “las mismas,” “los mismos,” and variations of “tanto como” to express equality in Spanish.
- Practice describing similarities between objects, quantities, and qualities in different contexts using the expressions learned.
Vocabulary Table for expressing equality in Spanish
| Spanish | English | Form | Example Sentence Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| el mismo | the same (masc.) | Singular | Juan y Carlos leen el mismo libro. |
| la misma | the same (fem.) | Singular | Ana y María tienen la misma idea. |
| los mismos | the same (masc.) | Plural | Los estudiantes usan los mismos cuadernos. |
| las mismas | the same (fem.) | Plural | Las ciudades celebran las mismas festividades. |
| tanto como | as much as | Masculine | Juan tiene tanto dinero como Miguel. |
| tanta como | as much as | Feminine | María usa tanta energía como Laura. |
| tantos como | as many as | Masculine | Ellos tienen tantos amigos como sus primos. |
| tantas como | as many as | Feminine | Ella compró tantas manzanas como naranjas. |
| Tan… como | as … as | “tan alto como“ is translated as “as tall as”. |
Grammar Points about expressing equality in Spanis
- El mismo, la misma, los mismos, las mismas: Used to indicate that two or more nouns are the same. It must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes.
- Example: “María y yo tenemos el mismo profesor.” (María and I have the same teacher.)
- Tanto como, tanta como, tantos como, [sayit]tantas como: These expressions are used to compare equality in quantity or degree. They must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.
- Example: “Juan tiene tantos libros como Ana.” (Juan has as many books as Ana.)
- Tan … como: The expression “tan … como“ in Spanish is used to compare the degree or intensity of two qualities, indicating they are equal. For example: “Este pastel está tan delicioso como el que hizo mi abuela.“ (This cake is as delicious as the one my grandmother made.)
Familía García are talking about their similarities in Marbella
| Spanish Dialogue | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Antonio: Juan y yo tenemos el mismo interés en el fútbol. | Antonio: Juan and I have the same interest in football.[/sayit] |
| Penélope: Lucía y yo compramos la misma blusa para la fiesta. | Penélope: Lucía and I bought the same blouse for the party.[/sayit] |
| Juan: Papá y yo leemos los mismos libros de historia. | Juan: Dad and I read the same history books.[/sayit] |
| Lucía: Mamá y yo preparamos las mismas recetas de galletas. | Lucía: Mom and I prepare the same cookie recipes.[/sayit] |
| Abuela Rosa: Utilizo tanta energía como tú cuando era joven. | Abuela Rosa: I used as much energy as you when I was young.[/sayit] |
| Abuelo Miguel: En mis tiempos, tenía tantos amigos como tú. | Abuelo Miguel: In my time, I had as many friends as you.[/sayit] |
| Antonio: Este coche es tan cómodo como el que teníamos antes. | Antonio: This car is as comfortable as the one we had before.[/sayit] |