¡Hola! In this article, we’re going to see how to compare things—specifically, how to say that things are similar. Describing similarities in Spanish is a great skill to have, and it can be done using a selection of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs. We’ll also teach you some idiomatic phrases!
One way to show similarity is with a specific verb:
Parecerse = to look like, to seem similar to (reflexive ‘se’)
Yo me parezco a mi padre.
I look like/am like my father.
Nick no se parece a su hermano.
Nick doesn’t look like his brother.
Parecerse = to look alike, to seem similar to each other (reciprocal ‘se’)
Rick y Nick son gemelos pero no se parecen.
Rick and Nick are twins but they’re not alike.
Spanish Nouns of Similarity
These nouns are best used with the verb ‘ser.’ When used like that, they’re all pretty similar ways of saying the same thing: that someone is someone else’s doppelganger/spitting image. In other words, they are very alike (often this likeness is physical).
El doble = spitting image/doppelganger (literal meaning: ‘double’)
¡Mira, aquel hombre es tu doble!
Look, that man over there is your doppelganger/twin!
Mi otro/a yo = my alter ego/my other self (literal meaning: ‘my other I/me’)
Eres mi otro yo.
You’re my alter ego.
El vivo retrato = spitting image (literal meaning: ‘living portrait’)
Mi amigo Marcus es el vivo retrato de Johnny Depp.
My friend Marcus is the spitting image of Johnny Depp.
La viva imagen = spitting image (literal meaning: ‘living image’)
No puedo salir contigo, porque eres la viva imagen de mi ex.
I can’t go out with you, because you’re the spitting image of my ex.
Fred Junior es la viva imagen de su padre.
Fred Junior really takes after his father/is a chip off the old block.
La fiel imagen = spitting image (literal meaning: ‘faithful image’)
Claro que no soy la fiel imagen de Marilyn Monroe, pero tengo la misma figura, ¿no?
Obviously I’m not the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe, but I have the same figure, don’t I?
El clon = clone
—Vi a Marta esta mañana pero me ignoró.
—Marta está de vacaciones. Debe de haber sido su clon, jajaja*.
“I saw Marta this morning but she ignored me.”
“Marta’s on holiday. It must have been her clone, hahaha.”
*Top tip: when messaging Friends in Spanish, use ‘jajaja.’ Because the Spanish ‘j’ is pronounced kind of like an English ‘h,’ it’s the equivalent of our ‘hahaha.’
Image Via
Spanish Adjectives of Similarity
Like the nouns, these adjectives are best used with ‘ser.’ Remember, those ending in ‘-o’ will change according to the noun being modified:
Masculine singular
-o
Feminine singular
-a
Masculine plural
-os
Feminine plural
-as
Parecido/a = similar
Yo creo que Katy Perry es parecida a Zooey Deschanel.
I think that Katy Perry looks like Zooey Deschanel.
Similar = similar
Yo soy muy similar a mi madre.
I’m very similar to my mother.
La naranja clementina es similar a la tangerina.
The clementine is similar to the tangerine.
Semejante = similar/like
Dices que escribiste esta canción, pero la verdad es que es semejante a una canción de S Club 7.
You say you wrote this song, but the truth is that it’s very similar to one of S Club 7’s songs.
My two granddaughters are just the same as each other.
¿Cuál mitad de la pizza quieres? Son iguales.
Which half of the pizza do you want? They’re the same.
Igual de = just as
Tienes que mantenerte consciente de tu salud física, pero no te olvides de que la salud mental es igual de importante, si no más.
You have to be conscious of your physical health, but don’t forget that mental health is just as important, if not more so.
Idéntico/a = identical
¡Cuidado cuando cobras a los clientes! Un billete falso es casi idéntico a un billete auténtico.
Be careful when you charge the customers! A fake bill/bank note is almost identical to a genuine bill/bank note.
Clavado/a = identical
—¿Qué tal con tu nueva novia?
—Bien, pero es clavada a su madre, y creo que me está empezando a atraer ésta.
—Tío, ¡esta situación se va de las manos!
“How’s it going with your new girlfriend?”
“Good, but she’s the spitting image of her mother, and I think I’m starting to be attracted to the mom.”
“Dude, this situation is getting out of hand!”
Mismo = same
Los dos coches son diferentes pero son del mismo color/tienen el mismo color.
The two cars are different but they’re the same color/they have the same color.
Lo mismo = the same
—Echo de menos a Ricardo. Quiero ir a verlo.
—No puedes ir hoy. Llámale por teléfono.
—No es lo mismo.
“I miss Ricardo. I want to go see him.”
“You can’t go today. Call him by phone.”
“It’s not the same.”
Spanish Adverbs of Similarity
Como = like/as
Mi mejor amiga es como una madre para mí.
My best friend is like a mother to me.
Este plato es como una paella, sino con más ingredientes.
This dish is like a paella, but with more ingredients.
Tal como = as/just as
Teddy reaccionó tal como me lo esperaba.
Teddy reacted exactly as I expected.
Tan … como … = as … as …/just as … as …
This is a cool comparison of equality. You can use it with an adjective or an adverb.
¿Por qué ella aprobó el examen y yo no? Yo soy tan inteligente como ella.
Why did she pass the exam/test but not me? I’m as intelligent as her.
Mi moto va tan suavemente como la tuya.
My motorbike goes just as smoothly as yours.
Idioms
Here are some set phrases that you can use in your writing or speaking.
Ser como dos gotas de agua = to be like two peas in a pod (literal meaning: ‘to be like two drops of water’)
Roberta y su hermana son como dos gotas de agua.
Roberta and her sister are like two peas in a pod.
Image Via
Cortado del mismo patrón = cut from the same cloth (literal meaning: cut from the same pattern)
—Yo creo que todos dueños han sido cortados del mismo patrón.
—No digas eso. Algunos somos competentes, te lo juro.
“I think all landlords are cut from the same cloth/are all the same.”
“Don’t say that. Some of us are competent, I swear.”
Cortado con la misma tijera = cut from the same cloth (literal meaning: cut with the same scissors)
No creas que todos los hombres estén cortados de la misma tijera.
Don’t believe that all men are cut from the same cloth/are all the same.
Well done!
Whether or not you’ve previously read articles semejantes to this one, hopefully we’ve taught you something new today. Try to keep up a daily learning habit, and incorporate some of these words and phrases next time you want to describe similarity.
Annabel is a language-enthusiast from the UK. She studied Spanish and French at the University of Southampton (with an Erasmus study year in Madrid!) and recently graduated. She has interests across the Spanish-speaking world, and is a fan of language in general.
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