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tanto

tan-tohˈtanto

so much, so many

A towering, colorful pile of various shoes overflowing a small wooden closet onto the floor.

📝 In Action

Nunca he sentido tanto frío en mi vida.

A2

I have never felt so much cold in my life.

Hay tantas cosas que quiero hacer este verano.

A2

There are so many things I want to do this summer.

No entiendo por qué tienes tantos zapatos.

B1

I don't understand why you have so many shoes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mucho (a lot, much, many)

Antonyms

so much, so

An extremely tired cartoon rabbit collapsed flat on a long, winding dirt road, covered in sweat and panting heavily, symbolizing over-exertion.

📝 In Action

No corras tanto, te vas a cansar.

A2

Don't run so much, you're going to get tired.

Me gusta tanto esta canción que la escucho todos los días.

B1

I like this song so much that I listen to it every day.

El bebé lloró tanto que al final se durmió.

B1

The baby cried so much that he finally fell asleep.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tanto como – as much as
  • no es para tanto – it's not that big of a deal

so much, so many

A person sitting at a table with an empty dessert plate, holding their distended stomach in satisfied discomfort.

📝 In Action

¿Quieres más pastel? — No, gracias, ya comí tanto.

B1

Do you want more cake? — No, thanks, I already ate so much.

Había muchos problemas, pero no esperaba tantos.

B2

There were many problems, but I didn't expect so many.

point

Also: a certain amount
NounmB2
A single soccer ball suspended in the air right as it crosses the goal line and enters the net.

📝 In Action

El equipo local marcó el primer tanto del partido.

B2

The home team scored the first point of the match.

Por lo tanto, hemos decidido cancelar el evento.

B1

Therefore, we have decided to cancel the event.

Mientras tanto, podemos tomar un café.

B1

Meanwhile, we can have a coffee.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • por lo tanto – therefore, for that reason
  • entre tanto / mientras tanto – meanwhile, in the meantime
  • estar al tanto – to be up to date, to be aware

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "tanto" in Spanish:

point→so→so many→so much→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tanto

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'tantus', which meant 'so great', 'so much', or 'of such a size'. It has kept its core meaning of indicating a large quantity or degree for centuries.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: tantoPortuguese: tantoFrench: tant

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between 'tanto' and 'muy'?

Think of it this way: 'tanto' is about 'how much' or 'how many' of something there is (quantity). 'Muy' is about 'how' something is (quality or intensity). You can have 'tanta agua' (so much water), but the water is 'muy fría' (very cold).

When do I use 'tan' versus 'tanto'?

'Tan' is the short version you use before adjectives and adverbs (words that describe things or actions). For example, 'tan rápido' (so fast) or 'tan inteligente' (so smart). 'Tanto' is used before nouns ('tanto tiempo' - so much time) and after verbs ('corres tanto' - you run so much).

How do I know when to use 'tanto', 'tanta', 'tantos', or 'tantas'?

It depends on the noun you're talking about! Look at the noun's ending. If it's a masculine singular noun (like 'trabajo'), use 'tanto'. If it's feminine singular ('gente'), use 'tanta'. If it's masculine plural ('libros'), use 'tantos'. And if it's feminine plural ('casas'), use 'tantas'. If you're describing an action (a verb), it's always just 'tanto'.