cuánto

/KWAN-toh/

all that

A person happily holding a massive, overflowing pile of gifts and everyday objects, symbolizing 'everything that' they possess.

As a pronoun, *cuanto* means "all that" or "everything that" (Te daré **cuanto** tengo - I will give you **all that** I have).

cuánto(Pronoun)

all that?referring to things in general,everything that?synonymous with 'all that'

Also:as much as?referring to an amount,whoever / all who?referring to people (using 'cuantos'/'cuantas')

📝 In Action

Te daré cuanto tengo.

I will give you everything that I have.

Agradezco cuanto has hecho por mí.

I appreciate all that you have done for me.

Invitó a cuantos conocía.

He invited everyone he knew.

Word Connections

Synonyms

todo lo que (all that)
todos los que (all who)

Common Collocations

cuanto antes – as soon as possible

💡 Grammar Points

A Word That Changes

This word changes its ending to match the person or thing it's talking about. Use 'cuánto' for masculine things, 'cuánta' for feminine things, 'cuántos' for plural masculine, and 'cuántas' for plural feminine.

A Shortcut Word

Think of 'cuánto' as a shortcut. Instead of saying 'Te daré todo lo que tengo' (I'll give you all that I have), you can just say 'Te daré cuanto tengo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting to Match the Noun

Mistake: "Leí cuantos páginas pude."

Correction: Leí cuantas páginas pude. 'Páginas' is a feminine plural word, so you need to use 'cuantas' to match it.

⭐ Usage Tips

Sounding More Formal

Using 'cuánto' instead of 'todo lo que' can make your Spanish sound a bit more polished and literary, especially in writing.

Two identical baskets, both filled to the brim with bright red apples, illustrating equal quantity or 'as many as'.

As an adjective, *cuanto* means "as many... as" or "as much... as," emphasizing that the quantity is equal (Puedes tomar **cuantos** libros necesites - You can take **as many** books as you need).

cuánto(Adjective)

as many... as?referring to countable things,as much... as?referring to uncountable things

Also:all the... that?a common alternative meaning

📝 In Action

Puedes tomar cuantos libros necesites.

You can take as many books as you need.

Dedícale cuanta atención sea necesaria.

Give it as much attention as is necessary.

Come cuanta fruta quieras.

Eat as much fruit as you want.

Word Connections

Synonyms

tanto como (as much as)

💡 Grammar Points

The Matching Rule

When 'cuánto' comes before a noun (a person, place, or thing), it must match that noun's gender and number. For example, 'cuantos libros' (masculine, plural) and 'cuanta paciencia' (feminine, singular).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'cuánto' Instead of 'cuántos'

Mistake: "Tengo cuanto amigos en España."

Correction: Tengo cuantos amigos en España. Because 'amigos' is plural, you need the plural form 'cuantos'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Look for the Noun

If you see a noun immediately after 'cuánto'/'a'/'os'/'as', you know it's being used as an adjective to describe that noun's quantity.

A cartoon athlete sprinting across a finish line with visible effort and determination, showing maximum exertion or 'as much as possible'.

As an adverb, *cuanto* means "as much as," describing the extent of a verb (Corrió **cuanto** pudo - He ran **as much as** he could).

cuánto(Adverb)

as much as?modifying a verb

📝 In Action

Corrió cuanto pudo para alcanzar el autobús.

He ran as much as he could to catch the bus.

Te ayudaré cuanto me sea posible.

I will help you as much as is possible for me.

💡 Grammar Points

The Form That Never Changes

When 'cuánto' is used to describe an action (a verb), it is always 'cuánto'. It never changes to 'cuánta' or 'cuántos' because it's not describing a noun.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Trying to Make it Match

Mistake: "Ellas estudiaron cuantas pudieron."

Correction: Ellas estudiaron cuanto pudieron. Here, the word describes *how much* they studied (the action), not a specific thing. So it stays 'cuánto'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Answering 'How Much?' for Verbs

Think of this version of 'cuánto' as answering the question 'how much?' about the verb. How much did he run? 'Cuanto pudo' (As much as he could).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cuánto

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is correct? ('manzanas' is feminine and plural)

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cuánto(how much / how many) - interrogative

cuantía(amount, quantity) - noun

cuantificar(to quantify) - verb

cuantitativo(quantitative) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'cuánto' (with an accent) and 'cuanto' (without)?

Great question! 'Cuánto' with an accent mark is used for asking questions ('¿Cuánto cuesta?') or in exclamations ('¡Cuánto tiempo!'). 'Cuanto' without an accent is used to connect ideas, meaning 'as much as' or 'all that' in a statement, not a question.

Do I always have to change the ending of 'cuanto'?

You change the ending ('cuanta', 'cuantos', 'cuantas') when it's describing a noun or taking the place of one. But when it's describing an action (like in 'corre cuanto puedas' - 'run as much as you can'), it always stays 'cuanto'.

Can I just use 'todo lo que' instead?

Yes, absolutely! Using 'todo lo que' (or 'todos los que', etc.) is very common and means the same thing. Using 'cuanto' is just a slightly more concise and sometimes more formal way to say it.