28.2 tanto and tão
Tanto is used to compare quantities and amounts of elements, tão is used to compare properties. (Actually tão is a comparative of equality, see 21.2.)
Ela tem tantos livros como eu.  |
| not: Ela tem tão ... |
| She has as many books as I do. |
Tanto as well as tão can be used as adverbs, athough with different meanings. Tão describes the intensity of property, tanto a quantity. In other words: If we compare two properties or if we want to describe a high intensity ("He is so sweet!"), we use tão and if we want two compare two properties or describe a big amount ("There is still so much to do") we use tanto.
| tão describes a high intensity / compares two properties |
| Ele corre tão rápido como qualquer outro colega de aula. |
| He runs as fast as any of his classmates. |
| Por que você come tão depressa? |
| Why do you eat so fast? |
| Como alguém tão pequena come tanto? |
| How can someone so small eat so much. |
| Nunca ganha tanto com seu trabalho. |
| With your work you will never earn so much. |
| tanto describes the quantity so much, so many, so many things |
| Agora, sei por que ele ganha tanto. |
| Now I know why he earns so much. |
| Faz muito tempo que não vejo tantos. |
| I haven't seen so many recently. |
| Ainda há tanta coisa que eu não sei sobre ti. |
| There are so many things I still don't know about you. |
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