Level 5 · Lesson 18

跟我一样高
As tall as I am

他跟我一样高。我没有他那么高。我们家我最瘦。

跟…一样 for equality, 没有…那么… for the negative of 比, and 最 for the top of the list.

听 · Listen

我没有他那么高
 安娜 —  你跟你哥哥一样高吗？ 
Are you as tall as your brother?  
 李明 —  不一样。我没有他那么高。 
No. I'm not as tall as he is.  
 安娜 —  你比他瘦，吃得也没有他那么多吧？ 
You're slimmer than him — and you don't eat as much as he does, do you?  
 李明 —  对，我们家我最瘦，我吃得不多。你呢？你也这么瘦。 
Right — in our family I'm the slimmest, I don't eat much. And you? You're this slim too.  
 安娜 —  我跟你一样，也不爱吃肉。 
I'm the same as you — I don't like meat either.  
 李明 —  那我们一起去吃鱼吧！ 
Then let's go and eat fish together!  

讲解 · Explanation

他跟我一样高。我的自行车跟他的一样新。我跟你一样。这两个不一样。

For 'as … as', use the 跟 you learned at l05-01: A 跟 B 一样 + adjective. 一样 alone means 'the same', so 我跟你一样 is a complete sentence. The negative goes on 一样: 不一样, and note the tones — 一样 is yíyàng, so 不 keeps its full tone, bù yíyàng.

我没有他高。我没有他那么高。他吃得没有我那么多。

Here is the surprise: in ordinary speech the negative of 比 is not 不比 but 没有. A 没有 B + adjective means A falls short of B. Adding 那么 before the adjective softens it and is very common: 我没有他那么高. This is the same 没有 that negates 有 — one more reason never to say 不有. 我不比他高 does exist, but it argues against something the other person just said, so leave it for later.

他最高。我最喜欢中国菜。你这么瘦！他没有那么忙。

最 is an adverb, so it goes straight in front of the adjective or verb: 最高, 最喜欢, 最贵. Say where the comparison happens first, as a topic: 我们家我最瘦 'in our family, I'm the slimmest'. 这么 and 那么 are degree words meaning 'this much' and 'that much' — 这么 for what is right here in front of you, 那么 for what is further off or has just been mentioned.

生词 · Vocabulary

词	Meaning	注 · Note
一样	the same, alike	跟…一样 + adjective; negative 不一样
最	most, -est	before the adjective or verb: 最高, 最喜欢
瘦	thin, slim	the opposite of 胖
那么	that much, so	没有…那么… — not as … as
这么	this much, so	你这么瘦！ said about what is right here

练习 · Practice

我 ______ 他那么高。 I'm not as tall as he is — the ordinary spoken way.

我们家 ______ 。 In our family, I'm the slimmest.

我的车跟你的 ______ 新。 Fill in the word for 'the same': my bike is as new as yours.

排一排。 Arrange the words: 'I don't eat as much as he does.'

一样、最、瘦、那么、这么 Match each word to its meaning.

用一用 · Use it

我跟我朋友一样高。我没有他那么忙。我们家他最高。

Say three sentences about the people around you. One equality with 跟…一样 plus an adjective. One shortfall with 没有…那么… — and make sure you did not reach for 不比. One superlative with 最, naming the group first: 我们家…, 我们学校…. Then say the last one again with a verb instead of an adjective: 我最喜欢…