tan
Lemma Details
Translation: so; as; such; so much; as much
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'tam' meaning 'so, to such a degree'. It's related to the Latin demonstrative system and shares roots with English words like 'tantamount' and 'tandem'. The evolution from 'tam' to 'tan' follows common phonological patterns in the development of Romance languages from Latin.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Ella es tan inteligente como su hermana.
She is as intelligent as her sister.
No corras tan rápido.
Don't run so fast.
Es un libro tan interesante.
It's such an interesting book.
Tan pronto como llegue, te llamaré.
As soon as I arrive, I'll call you.
¿Por qué estás tan cansado?
Why are you so tired?
Mnemonics
- Think of a 'tan' as making something more intense (like skin getting darker), just as 'tan' intensifies descriptions.
- Remember 'tan' as the first syllable of 'tantamount' which means 'equivalent to' - similar to how 'tan' is used in comparisons.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
Used extensively in everyday Spanish conversation to make comparisons and express intensity. It's one of the most fundamental adverbs for expressing degree in Spanish.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Tan' is used before adjectives and adverbs, while 'tanto' is used before nouns or as a pronoun. 'Tan' doesn't change form, but 'tanto' agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
This word:
Ella es tan alta.
She is so tall.
Confused word:
Ella tiene tantos libros.
She has so many books.
Notes: 'Tan' and 'tanto' work together in correlative structures: 'tan... como' (as... as) and 'tanto... como' (as much/many... as).
Mnemonic: 'Tan' is short and doesn't change; 'tanto' is longer and can change form (tanta, tantos, tantas).
Explanation: Both 'tan' and 'muy' modify adjectives and adverbs, but 'muy' simply means 'very' while 'tan' means 'so' or 'as' and is often used in comparisons.
Confused word:
Es muy bonito.
It's very beautiful.
Notes: 'Tan' often appears in structures with 'como' or 'que', while 'muy' stands alone.
Mnemonic: Think of 'muy' as a standalone intensifier, while 'tan' often sets up a comparison.