tan + adj. + como ......

Question

Yesterday, I studied spanish with my friends. However, we got a problem when we discussed the spanish structure of " tan + adj. + como ....."

For this spanish structure, "tan" should be followed by adj.. How about noun?? Can I use "noun" instead of "adj"?? For example, "Esta mesa es tan larga como ésa. " As the word " larga " is noun, is the sentence correct?

Es correcto debido al hecho de que la pabara 'larga' no es un sustantivo... es un adjetivo - sinsonte, May 28, 2012

Answer 1

When you say "there are as many [noun] as [noun]" in Spanish, you use the construction "tantos + noun + como + noun". This is different from the "tan + adj. + como" construction for adjectives. However, your example is correct, because, as sisonte said, "larga" (long) is an adjective (a word that modifies/describes a noun), not a noun (generally a person, place, thing, or emotion). However, these are some examples that may clear this up for you.

ADJECTIVES

• El cabello de ella es tan largo como el suyo.

(Her hair is as long as hers)

• El caballo gris es tan rápido como el negro.

(The grey horse is as fast as the black one.)

• Mi hermano es tan fastidioso como tu hermano.

(My brother is as annoying as your brother.)

NOUNS

• Hay tantos computadores como estudiantes aquí en la universidad.

(There are as many computers as students here in the university.)

• Tengo tantas flores como tú.

(I have as many flowers as you [do].)

• ¡No debe haber tanta agua en el piso como en el balde!

(Here the phrase "agua en el piso/water on the floor" serves as a 'noun', as does the phrase "en el balde/in the bucket". But the words used for the comparison)

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Calabaza is exactly right:

Larga describes a noun = adjective.

Tanto(a)/Tantos/Tantas would be used with nouns.