A visual comparison showing two sunflowers that are equally tall, representing the Spanish word 'tan' used for comparisons of equality.

tan

/tahn/

AdverbA1

as?in comparisons, e.g., 'as tall as',so?for emphasis, e.g., 'so tall'

Also:such a?in exclamations, e.g., 'such a nice day'

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es tan alto como mi padre.

My brother is as tall as my father.

El pastel está tan rico.

The cake is so delicious.

Estaba tan cansado que me dormí inmediatamente.

I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately.

¡Qué día tan bonito!

What a beautiful day!

Related Words

Synonyms

muy (very)
igual de (equally)

Common Collocations

tan... como... – as... as...
tan... que... – so... that...
tan pronto como – as soon as

💡 Grammar Points

The 'as... as...' Formula

To say two things are equal, use this magic formula: tan + [describing word] + como. For example, 'El libro es tan interesante como la película' (The book is as interesting as the movie).

Making Words Stronger

You can use 'tan' by itself before a describing word (like 'good' or 'fast') to make it stronger, just like 'so' in English. For example, 'Estoy tan feliz' (I am so happy).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Tan' vs. 'Tanto'

Mistake: "Tengo tan dinero como tú."

Correction: Tengo tanto dinero como tú. Use 'tan' for describing words (adjectives/adverbs). Use 'tanto' when talking about the amount of a thing (a noun). 'Tan' never changes, but 'tanto' changes to 'tanta', 'tantos', or 'tantas' to match the thing it describes.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Exclamations!

A great way to add emotion is to use 'tan' in exclamations, similar to saying 'such a' or 'so' in English. For example, '¡Es un perro tan inteligente!' (He's such an intelligent dog!).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tan

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly says 'The car is as fast as the motorcycle'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tanto(so much / so many) - adverb/adjective

tamaño(size) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'tan' and 'muy'?

Think of 'muy' as simply meaning 'very' (e.g., 'muy rápido' = very fast). 'Tan' means 'so' or 'as' and is often used to either show a result ('tan rápido que...' = so fast that...) or to compare ('tan rápido como...' = as fast as...). 'Muy' just describes, while 'tan' often connects to another idea.

When do I use 'tan' vs. 'tanto'?

Here's an easy rule: Use **tan** before words that describe (adjectives/adverbs) like 'grande' (big) or 'lentamente' (slowly). Use **tanto/a/os/as** before words that are things (nouns) like 'libros' (books) or 'paciencia' (patience). 'Tan' always stays the same, but 'tanto' must change to match the thing it's describing.