tampocovstan poco
/tahm-PO-ko/
/TAHN PO-ko/
💡 Quick Rule
Tampoco = me neither. Tan poco = so little.
One word (`tampoco`) agrees with a negative idea. Two words (`tan poco`) describe a small amount.
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | tampoco | tan poco | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talking about food | —No me gusta el pescado. —A mí tampoco. | Come tan poco. ¿No tiene hambre? | Tampoco agrees with a dislike. Tan poco describes the small amount of food someone eats. |
| Time | No puedo ir hoy, y mañana tampoco. | Tenemos tan poco tiempo para prepararnos. | Tampoco adds another negative day. Tan poco emphasizes the short duration of available time. |
| Money | Él no tiene dinero, y yo tampoco. | ¡Gano tan poco en este trabajo! | Tampoco agrees with the state of not having money. Tan poco describes the small amount of money earned. |
| Knowledge | No entiendo el problema. —Yo tampoco. | Sé tan poco sobre este tema. | Tampoco agrees with not understanding. Tan poco describes the small amount of knowledge one has. |
✅ When to Use "tampoco" / tan poco
tampoco
Neither / not... either. A single word used to agree with a negative statement or add another negative idea.
/tahm-PO-ko/
Agreeing with a negative statement
—No quiero ir. —Yo tampoco.
—I don't want to go. —Me neither.
Adding another negative element
No habla inglés y tampoco entiende francés.
He doesn't speak English, and he doesn't understand French either.
To replace 'no... tampoco'
Tampoco tenemos pan.
We don't have bread either.
tan poco
So little / such a small amount. A two-word phrase used to emphasize a small quantity or degree of something.
/TAHN PO-ko/
Describing a small quantity
Queda tan poco tiempo para terminar el examen.
There's so little time left to finish the exam.
Describing a small degree or intensity
Dormí tan poco anoche que hoy estoy agotado.
I slept so little last night that I'm exhausted today.
Expressing surprise at a small amount
¿Por qué compraste tan poco queso?
Why did you buy so little cheese?
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "tampoco":
—No dormí bien. —Yo tampoco.
—I didn't sleep well. —Me neither.
With "tan poco":
Es normal estar cansado si dormiste tan poco.
It's normal to be tired if you slept so little.
The Difference: Use 'tampoco' to agree that you also didn't sleep well. Use 'tan poco' to comment on the small amount of sleep someone got.
With "tampoco":
A ella no le interesa el fútbol, y a su hermano tampoco.
She's not interested in soccer, and neither is her brother.
With "tan poco":
Me interesa tan poco el fútbol que ni sé las reglas.
I'm so little interested in soccer that I don't even know the rules.
The Difference: 'Tampoco' connects two people who share a negative interest. 'Tan poco' emphasizes the very low degree of one person's interest.
🎨 Visual Comparison
Split-screen comparing 'tampoco' (agreement) and 'tan poco' (small amount).
'Tampoco' is for agreeing with a 'no'. 'Tan poco' is for describing 'so little'.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
—No me gusta el frío. —Yo tan poco.
—No me gusta el frío. —Yo tampoco.
To agree with a negative statement ('I don't like...'), you need the single word 'tampoco' (neither). 'Tan poco' means 'so little'.
Hay tampoco gente en la fiesta.
Hay tan poca gente en la fiesta.
To emphasize the small amount of people, use the two-word phrase 'tan poco/a'. 'Tampoco' means 'neither' or 'either' and doesn't fit here.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Tampoco vs Tan poco
Question 1 of 2
—No tengo ganas de salir. —Yo ____.
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'tan poco' change for gender and number, like 'tan poca'?
Yes, absolutely. 'Poco' acts like an adjective here, so it must agree with the noun it describes. For example: 'Hay tan poca gente' (so few people) or 'Tenemos tan pocas opciones' (we have so few options).
What's the opposite of 'tampoco'?
The opposite is 'también', which means 'also' or 'too'. You use 'también' to agree with a positive statement ('Me gusta el chocolate.' — 'A mí también.') and 'tampoco' to agree with a negative one ('No me gusta el café.' — 'A mí tampoco.').