Expressing Equality: "As much as" with به اندازهی
When you want to say that two things or people possess a trait to the exact same degree, Farsi uses the phrase به اندازهی. Literally meaning "to the size of" or "to the measure of," it functions just like the English "as [adjective] as."
The structure is straightforward: place به اندازهی right before the person or thing you are comparing against, followed by the adjective and the verb.
| My younger brother is as spoiled as my sister, but he is not stubborn. | برادر کوچکم به اندازهی خواهرم لوس است، اما لجباز نیست.barâdar-e kuchakam be-andâze-ye khâharam lus ast, ammâ lajbâz nist. |
| I think that my son is as talkative as his father. | فکر میکنم که پسرم به اندازهی پدرش پرحرف است.fekr mikonam ke pesaram be andâze-ye pedarash por-harf ast. |
Comparing with Pronouns and Negation
You can use به اندازهی with independent pronouns (like من for "me" or تو for "you") just as easily as with nouns.
To say that someone is not as much of something as someone else, simply negate the verb at the end of the sentence.
| Is your brother as messy as you? No, he is smart and organized. | آیا برادرت به اندازهی تو شلخته است؟ نه، او زرنگ و منظم است.âyâ barâdarat be andâze-ye to shalakhte ast? na, u zerang va monazzam ast. |
| I am not as spendthrift as my husband. | من به اندازهی شوهرم ولخرج نیستم.man be andâze-ye shoharam velkharj nistam. |
Family Rivalries: Personality Traits
Comparing family members is a great way to practice this structure. When discussing siblings or relatives, you will often use adjectives describing their personality or habits, whether it is being studious (درسخوان), stingy (خسیس), or caring (دلسوز).
| The younger daughter is as quiet and studious as the older brother. | دختر کوچک به اندازهی برادر بزرگ کمحرف و درسخوان است.dokhtar-e kuchak be andâze-ye barâdar-e bozorg kam-harf o dars-khân ast. |
| My grandfather is as stingy as my uncle. | پدربزرگم به اندازهی عمویم خسیس است.pedar-bozorgam be andâze-ye amuyam khasis ast. |
| My wife is always as caring as my mother. | همسرم همیشه به اندازهی مادرم دلسوز است.hamsaram hamishe be andâze-ye mâdaram delsuz ast. |
Spoken Farsi Shortcuts
In casual, spoken Farsi, the phrase به اندازهی remains exactly the same, but the surrounding words will often take their conversational forms. For example, آن (that) becomes اون, and the verb است (is) drops its first letter and attaches to the previous word.
| That boy is as stubborn as my brother, and very stingy. | اون پسر به اندازهی برادرم لجبازه و خیلی خسیسه.un pesar be andâze-ye barâdaram lajbâze o kheyli khasise. |
