tal
“tal” means “such” in Spanish. It has 6 different meanings depending on context:
such, such a
Also: of that kind, this/that particular
📝 In Action
Nunca había visto tal belleza en mi vida.
B1I had never seen such beauty in my life.
Tal comportamiento no será tolerado aquí.
B1Such behavior will not be tolerated here.
El tal Pérez no ha llegado todavía.
B2That Pérez fellow hasn't arrived yet.
Necesitamos respuestas a tales preguntas.
B1We need answers to such questions.
How are you?, How's it going?, What's up?
Also: How was...?
📝 In Action
¡Hola, Ana! ¿Qué tal?
A1Hi, Ana! How are you?
¿Qué tal el viaje? ¿Te divertiste?
A2How was the trip? Did you have fun?
¿Qué tal si vamos al cine esta noche?
B1How about we go to the movies tonight?
📝 In Action
Tal vez llueva mañana.
A2Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
No estoy seguro, tal vez vaya a la fiesta.
B1I'm not sure, perhaps I'll go to the party.
📝 In Action
Todo sucedió tal como lo planeamos.
B1Everything happened just as we planned it.
Déjalo tal cual, no lo toques.
B1Leave it as is, don't touch it.
Te cuento la historia tal cual me la contaron.
B2I'm telling you the story just like they told it to me.
such a thing
Also: that
📝 In Action
Nunca he dicho tal. Es una mentira.
B2I have never said such a thing. It's a lie.
Me pidió que le mintiera a mi jefe, pero no haré tal.
C1He asked me to lie to my boss, but I won't do such a thing.
as long as, provided that
Also: just so
📝 In Action
Haría cualquier cosa con tal de que estés feliz.
B2I would do anything as long as you are happy.
Puedes usar mi coche, con tal de que lo cuides bien.
B2You can use my car, provided that you take good care of it.
Aceptó el trabajo con tal de no tener que mudarse.
C1He accepted the job just so he wouldn't have to move.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "tal" in Spanish:
as is→how was...?→just as→just like→just so→maybe→perhaps→such→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tal
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'tal' to mean 'maybe' or 'perhaps'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'tālis', which meant 'of such a kind' or 'such'. Its meaning has remained remarkably consistent over the centuries, expanding into many useful phrases.
First recorded: Around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'tal vez' and 'quizás'?
They both mean 'maybe' or 'perhaps' and are almost always interchangeable. There's no significant difference in meaning or formality. You can use whichever one comes to mind!
Can 'tal' mean 'a certain' person? Like 'tal Juan'?
Yes, exactly. Saying 'el tal Juan' means 'that Juan fellow' or 'this person named Juan we've been talking about'. It's often used when you don't know the person well or want to sound a little distant or even slightly dismissive.
Is '¿Qué tal?' formal or informal?
It's generally neutral to informal. It's perfect for friends, family, and colleagues. If you were meeting someone very important for the first time, like a king or a president, you might use the more formal '¿Cómo está usted?', but for 99% of daily life, '¿Qué tal?' is perfect.