Autant, autant de and autant que are common French forms used for comparisons of equality, quantity, and degree. They appear across all registers and are central to expressing “as much,” “as many,” or “as much as.”

Autant

Autant is an adverb meaning “as much” or “as many.” It usually links two comparable quantities, actions, or degrees.

With verbs

• Il travaille autant.
  He works as much.
• Elle voyage autant que possible.
  She travels as much as possible.
• Tu manges autant que tu veux.
  You eat as much as you want.

With adjectives or adverbs (always with que)

• C’est autant important que le reste.
  It is as important as the rest.
• Il court autant vite que son frère.
  He runs as fast as his brother.

Fixed expressions

• Autant pour moi. (my mistake)
• Autant dire que… (which is as good as saying that)
• Autant en emporte le vent. (set phrase, “gone with the wind”)

Autant de

Autant de expresses equality of quantity. It means “as many” or “as much.” It is followed directly by a noun.

With countable nouns

• Il a autant de livres que toi.
  He has as many books as you.
• Nous avons autant de problèmes qu’hier.
  We have as many problems as yesterday.
• Elle pose autant de questions que son frère.
  She asks as many questions as her brother.

With uncountable nouns

• Ils ont autant de travail que nous.
  They have as much work as we do.
• Tu mets autant de sucre que moi.
  You put as much sugar as I do.
• On a autant de chance que les autres.
  We have as much luck as the others.

Synonyms or related expressions

• Le même nombre de
• La même quantité de
• Tout autant de (emphatic)

Autant que

Autant que introduces comparisons of equality involving actions, qualities, people or things. It often means “as much as,” “as many as,” or “as far as.”

1. Quantity or degree

• Je t’aime autant que jamais.
  I love you as much as ever.
• Il faut travailler autant que nécessaire.
  You must work as much as needed.
• Elle rit autant que ses enfants.
  She laughs as much as her children.

2. Preference or equivalence

• Autant prendre le train.
  Might as well take the train.
• Autant rester ici si tu es fatigué.
  Might as well stay here if you are tired.
• Autant le dire tout de suite.
  Might as well say it right away.

3. “As far as” (knowledge or extent)

• Autant que je sache, il est en voyage.
  As far as I know, he is travelling.
• Autant que je me souvienne, elle habitait près d’ici.
  As far as I remember, she lived near here.

4. “As much as” with verbs

• Il pleut autant qu’hier.
  It is raining as much as yesterday.
• Ils sortent autant qu’avant.
  They go out as much as before.

Synonyms or alternatives

• Aussi… que (for adjectives and adverbs)
• Comme (informal in some comparisons)
• Dans la mesure où (for “as far as,” more formal)

Autant vs aussi

Aussi is used with adjectives and adverbs, while autant is used with verbs and nouns.

Examples:

• Il est aussi grand que toi.
  He is as tall as you.
• Il mange autant que toi.
  He eats as much as you.
• Elle a autant de force que lui.
  She has as much strength as he does.

Common mistakes

1. Using aussi instead of autant with nouns:
   Incorrect: J’ai aussi de livres que toi.
   Correct: J’ai autant de livres que toi.
2. Forgetting que in comparisons:
   Incorrect: Il court autant son frère.
   Correct: Il court autant que son frère.

Summary

Autant expresses equality of degree or action. Autant de expresses equality of quantity. Autant que introduces comparisons, preferences, or limits of knowledge. Together, these forms allow precise and natural comparison of amounts and degrees in French.