diff --git a/compiler/Gen/Cases.hs b/compiler/Gen/Cases.hs
index da602a2..8607860 100644
--- a/compiler/Gen/Cases.hs
+++ b/compiler/Gen/Cases.hs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ matchVar (v:vs) cs def = match vs (map subVar cs) def
         let
           loc = L t s
           subOnePattern (PVar x)      = subst x (Var v) e
-          subOnePattern (PAtVar x p)  = 
+          subOnePattern (PAsVar x p)  = 
             subst x (Var v) e
           subOnePattern PAnything     = e
           subOnePattern (PRecord fs)  =
diff --git a/compiler/Model/Ast.hs b/compiler/Model/Ast.hs
index ea948a7..a5ee232 100644
--- a/compiler/Model/Ast.hs
+++ b/compiler/Model/Ast.hs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ data ImportMethod = As String | Importing [String] | Hiding [String]
 
 data Pattern = PData String [Pattern]
              | PRecord [String]
-             | PAtVar String Pattern
+             | PAsVar String Pattern
              | PVar String
              | PAnything
                deriving (Eq, Data, Typeable)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ instance Show Pattern where
    case p of
      PRecord fs -> brkt (intercalate ", " fs)
      PVar x -> x
-     PAtVar x p -> x ++ "@(" ++ show p ++ ")"
+     PAsVar x p -> x ++ "@(" ++ show p ++ ")"
      PAnything -> "_"
      PData "Cons" [hd@(PData "Cons" _),tl] ->
         parens (show hd) ++ " :: " ++ show tl
diff --git a/compiler/Parse/Patterns.hs b/compiler/Parse/Patterns.hs
index 9fca5fb..ddc1176 100644
--- a/compiler/Parse/Patterns.hs
+++ b/compiler/Parse/Patterns.hs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module Parse.Patterns (patternTerm, patternExpr, makeLambda, flattenPatterns) wh
 
 import Ast
 import Located
-import Control.Applicative ((<$>),(<*>))
+import Control.Applicative ((<$>),(<*>),(*>),pure)
 import Control.Monad
 import Control.Monad.State
 import Data.Char (isUpper)
@@ -19,12 +19,11 @@ patternBasic =
                 return $ if isUpper c then PData x [] else PVar x
            ]
 
-patternMaybeAtVar :: Pattern -> IParser Pattern
-patternMaybeAtVar (PVar x) =
-  (char '@' >>
-   PAtVar x <$> patternExpr) <|>
-  ({- empty -} return $ PVar x)
-patternMaybeAtVar x = return x
+patternMaybeAsVar :: Pattern -> IParser Pattern
+patternMaybeAsVar x =
+    choice [ PAsVar <$> 
+             (optional whitespace *> reserved "as" *> whitespace *> lowVar) <*> pure x,
+             pure x ]
 
 patternRecord :: IParser Pattern
 patternRecord = PRecord <$> brackets (commaSep1 lowVar)
@@ -37,15 +36,17 @@ patternList :: IParser Pattern
 patternList = plist <$> braces (commaSep patternExpr)
 
 patternTerm :: IParser Pattern
-patternTerm = choice [ patternRecord, patternTuple, patternList,
-                       patternMaybeAtVar =<< patternBasic ]
-           <?> "pattern"
+patternTerm = (choice [ patternRecord, patternTuple, patternList,
+                        patternBasic ])
+              <?> "pattern"
 
 patternConstructor :: IParser Pattern
 patternConstructor = PData <$> capVar <*> spacePrefix patternTerm
 
 patternExpr :: IParser Pattern
-patternExpr = foldr1 pcons <$> consSep1 (patternConstructor <|> patternTerm) <?> "pattern"
+patternExpr = (patternMaybeAsVar =<<
+              (foldr1 pcons <$> consSep1 (patternConstructor <|> patternTerm)))
+              <?> "pattern"
 
 makeLambda :: [Pattern] -> CExpr -> GuidCounter CExpr
 makeLambda pats body = go (reverse pats) body
@@ -61,8 +62,8 @@ extract pattern body@(L t s _) =
   case pattern of
     PAnything -> return $ fn "_" body
     PVar x -> return $ fn x body
-    PAtVar x PAnything -> return $ fn x body
-    PAtVar x p -> do
+    PAsVar x PAnything -> return $ fn x body
+    PAsVar x p -> do
       (x', body') <- extract p body
       return $ fn x (loc $ Let [FnDef x' [] (loc $ Var x)] body')
     PData name ps -> do
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ matchSingle pat exp@(L t s _) p =
     PVar x ->
         return [ FnDef x [] (loc $ Case exp [(pat, loc $ Var x)]) ]
 
-    PAtVar x p' -> do
+    PAsVar x p' -> do
         subPat <- matchSingle p' (loc $ Var x) p'
         return $ (FnDef x [] (loc $ Case exp [(pat, loc $ Var x)])):subPat
       
diff --git a/compiler/Transform/Rename.hs b/compiler/Transform/Rename.hs
index e6c668c..c22f1e7 100644
--- a/compiler/Transform/Rename.hs
+++ b/compiler/Transform/Rename.hs
@@ -130,10 +130,10 @@ patternExtend pattern env =
     case pattern of
       PAnything -> return (PAnything, env)
       PVar x -> first PVar `liftM` extend env x
-      PAtVar x p -> do
+      PAsVar x p -> do
         (x', env') <- extend env x
         (p', env'') <- patternExtend p env'
-        return (PAtVar x' p', env'')
+        return (PAsVar x' p', env'')
       PData name ps ->
           first (PData name . reverse) `liftM` foldM f ([], env) ps
                  where f (rps,env') p = do (rp,env'') <- patternExtend p env'
diff --git a/compiler/Transform/Replace.hs b/compiler/Transform/Replace.hs
index 28595e7..43772db 100644
--- a/compiler/Transform/Replace.hs
+++ b/compiler/Transform/Replace.hs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ patternVars pattern =
     case pattern of
       PData _ ps -> unions (map patternVars ps)
       PVar x -> singleton x
-      PAtVar _ p -> patternVars p
+      PAsVar _ p -> patternVars p
       PAnything -> empty
 
 depth :: Expr -> Integer
diff --git a/compiler/Types/Constrain.hs b/compiler/Types/Constrain.hs
index 8c44121..209f489 100644
--- a/compiler/Types/Constrain.hs
+++ b/compiler/Types/Constrain.hs
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ patternGen loc tipe as pattern =
       b <- beta
       let cs = map (loc . (b :=:) . VarT) (Map.findWithDefault [] v as)
       return ( Map.delete v as, Set.fromList (loc (b :=: tipe) : cs), b )
-    PAtVar v p -> do
+    PAsVar v p -> do
       b <- beta
       let cs = map (loc . (b :=:) . VarT) (Map.findWithDefault [] v as)
       (as', cs', tipe') <- patternGen loc b as p