tan
“tan” means “as” in Spanish (in comparisons, e.g., 'as tall as').
as, so
Also: such a
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Mi hermano es tan alto como mi padre.
A1My brother is as tall as my father.
El pastel está tan rico.
A1The cake is so delicious.
Estaba tan cansado que me dormí inmediatamente.
A2I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately.
¡Qué día tan bonito!
A2What a beautiful day!
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Quick Quiz: tan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'The car is as fast as the motorcycle'?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'tam', which meant 'so' or 'to such a degree'. It has kept its original meaning for centuries.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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.