As happy as me vs. As happy as I am

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Can you please tell me where you see the difference between these two phrases:

  1. I hope you are as happy as me.
  2. I hope you are as happy as I am.

Happy days.
Torsten[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, talks: Advertising an inflatable plane seat[YSaerTTEW443543]

2

Hi Torsten, really this is a nice question… but what’s the answer please?

3

I think there is no difference of meaning between them.
“Me” is an object but “I” is a subject. If we use me, there is no word in the following. If we use I, we need an auxiliary verb or a to be.

4

Hi coach I still I don’t know the answer. Would you like to answer it please?

5

I think (1) is grammatically incorrect. “me” should have been “I”. (2) is what I’d use myself except I’m seldom happy…

6

hi Diverhawk,

I agree with you on the answer of number (1) but not (2). The sentence " I hope you are as happy as I am" is a comparitive sentence which compares between you and I as the subject of a clause. However, if a comparision between you and I has a role as an object of a clause, then you could use this patern " as…as me." For example:

I hope she is happy about you as much as me.

Minh

7

Hi Minh,
So in your example “I hope she is happy about you as much as me.”, what do you mean to say? This sentence can have two meanings and therefore should be avoided as written without additional context. One is that she is happy about you as much as she is about me. The second is that she is happy about you as much as I am happy about you.

In the original (2), it means I hope you are as happy as I am happy. This is perfectly OK.

8

Hi Diverhawk,

I am sorry for misunderstanding your previous answer " (2) is what I’d use myself except I’m seldom happy…" I thought you said that the original sentence

would be said to yourself, but not with others.

In my example sentence, I meant it the same as the meaning in your first interpreting of my sentence. In your second interpreting, can I say like this: “I hope she is happy about you as much as I.”?

Thank you very much for correcting my sentence.

9

I still do not know which one is correct?

10

If you want to satisify the purists, then say “I hope you are as happy as I am.”

That means “I hope your level of happiness is as great as my level of happiness.”

11

This is a comparative sentence using “as” something “as”, so all parts must be equal in value. Colloquially, it’s okay to say as happy as me, but correct grammar dictates that both parts of the comparison are equal: She is as happy as I am. Both pronouns must be subject pronouns.