What does “autant” mean in French?

Autant means “as much” or “as many.” It’s used to talk about quantity, comparison, or preference.

How do you pronounce “autant”?

It’s pronounced /o.tɑ̃/, roughly “oh-tahn,” with a nasal sound at the end.

Can “autant” be used with nouns?

Yes. Use autant de + noun to say “as much of” or “as many of,” for example: autant de travail — “as much work.”

Does “autant” ever mean “might as well”?

Yes. In suggestions, autant can mean “might as well,” as in Autant partir maintenant — “Might as well leave now.”

Is “autant pour moi” related to “autant”?

Yes. Autant pour moi is a set phrase meaning “My mistake” or “I stand corrected.”

Autant — Meaning, Pronunciation, and Examples in French

Level: B1 (Intermediate)

🎧 Audio by Marie Assel Cambier — native speaker & pro voice artist from France

The French Word of the Day is autant, meaning “as much” and “as many.” In today’s lesson, you’ll discover its main uses and how to use them naturally in conversation.

✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons

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Autant – as much – French Word of the Day

📘 Autant meaning

Autant is most often used to express equality in amount or intensity — “as much” or “as many.” It appears in comparisons (Il travaille autant que toi – He works as much as you do) and with de + noun to show quantity (autant de travail – so much work). It can also mean “might as well” in suggestions (Autant y aller maintenant – Might as well go now).

🎧 Autant pronunciation

Autant is pronounced /o.tɑ̃/ in IPA, or roughly oh-tahn. The first syllable au sounds like a long o, and the final -tant ends with the nasal vowel /ɑ̃/, as in enfant (child).

📝 French and English examples

1. Autant – as much

Comparison of quantity or intensity

Il travaille autant que son frère.
He works as much as his brother.

2. Preference between options

J’aime autant lire que regarder des films.
I like reading as much as watching movies.

👉 Lire = to read. See also: Lire conjugation chart »

3. Recommendation (might as well)

Autant lui dire la vérité tout de suite.
Might as well tell him the truth right away.

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tant — so much, so many
tellement — so, so much
aussi… que — as … as
autant que possible — as much as possible
autant pour moi — my mistake / I stand corrected
autant pisser dans un violon — to waste your breath
tout autant — just as much

Now that you’ve learned autant, take a look at my full guide to French comparaisons — it explains “as much as,” “more than,” “less than,” and more.
👉 See French comparaisons »

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David Issokson is the founder of FrenchLearner.com, where he’s been helping students master French through vocabulary, grammar, and cultural lessons since 2012.

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