To express that two things are "the same" or "exactly alike," Russian pairs the conjunction как (as) with the emphatic particle же (same/exactly).
Nouns: такой же ... как
To declare that one object is the same as another, use такой же ... как. Because такой acts like an adjective, it must agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun it describes.
| Gender / Number | Form |
|---|---|
| Masculine | такой же |
| Feminine | такая же |
| Neuter | такое же |
| Plural | такие же |
Note: A comma is always required directly before *как in these comparative clauses.*
| This packaging is exactly the same as the original. | Эта упаковка такая же, как оригинал. |
| The smell of this leather is exactly the same as in the store. | Запах этой кожи такой же, как в магазине. |
Verbs: так же ... как
To describe an action rather than a noun (e.g., "it looks the same"), use the invariable adverb так же ... как.
| How will you distinguish a fake if it looks exactly the same as the original? | Как ты отличишь подделку, если она выглядит так же, как оригинал? |
"As [Adjective/Adverb] As"
To say something is "as [quality] as" something else, insert the adjective or adverb before как.
For adjectives, use такой же (matching the noun's gender, number, and case).
| The stitching here is exactly as even as on the real bag. | Строчка здесь такая же ровная, как на настоящей сумке. |
For adverbs, use так же.
| They made the fake exactly as fast as the original. | Они сделали подделку так же быстро, как оригинал. |
Spotting Fakes
When inspecting items to distinguish an original from a replica, these comparisons are essential for discussing details like the packaging, label, or logo.
| The counterfeit's label is exactly the same as the original's. | У подделки этикетка такая же, как у оригинала. |
| I need to look at the logo to distinguish the fake. | Мне нужно посмотреть на логотип, чтобы отличить подделку. |
