as long as

as long as

conj.

1. During the time that: I'll stay as long as you need me.

2. Since: As long as you've offered, I accept.

3. On the condition that: I will cooperate as long as I am notified on time.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

as long as

1. used in conditionals

You can use as long as or so long as to say that one thing is true only if another thing is true. For example, if you say 'As long as you are under 16, you can take part in activities', you mean 'If you are under 16, you can take part in activities'.

You use a simple form after as long as and so long as.

We were all right as long as we kept quiet.

The president need not resign so long as the elections are supervised.

2. duration

You also use as long as to say that something lasts for a long period of time, or for as much time as possible.

Any stomach ache that persists for as long as one hour should be seen by a doctor.

I love football and I want to keep playing as long as I can.

Don't use 'so long as' in this way.

Be Careful!
Don't use 'as long as' when you are talking about distances. Don't say, for example, 'I followed him as long as the bridge'. You say 'I followed him as far as the bridge'.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Translations

εφόσον

mientras

aussi longtemps quetanttant que

a condizione chefinch

contantose