Spanish word

tan

Pronunciation

IPA/tan/

Meaning

  • adverbso

Example

No es tan difícil.

It's not so difficult.

Illustration for tan (so)

More examples

Ella no es tan tímida como antes.

She is not as shy as before.

Core concept

A degree slider set at a point.

Common phrases

  • tan ... como

    as ... as

  • tan ... que

    so ... that

  • tan pronto como

    as soon as

Similar words

muy: Conveys a clear general high degree of a quality as a straightforward intensifier.
bastante: Communicates a considerable but moderate degree: enough or fairly strong.
demasiado: Denotes a degree that is too much, suggesting a negative or problematic excess.
tanto: Indicates how much (amount or degree), marking quantity or extent.

Definition in Spanish

Señala hasta qué punto se cumple una cualidad, empleado para comparar o matizar grados con adjetivos o adverbios, por ejemplo «No es tan difícil».

Word origin

From Latin tam 'so, to such an extent', which became Spanish tan and retained its role marking degree in comparisons.

Usage tips

  • Placed before adjectives or adverbs (tan fuerte), it forms 'tan...como' for equality and 'tan...que' to introduce results, while tanto expresses quantity.

Opposites

Word lists with this word