Tan vs Muy

Question

Hello,

I've recently noticed that people get corrected by interchanging "tan" and "muy" to mean "so" in English. I have read from a forum online that "so" does not have a concrete translation in Spanish so I'm a little confused. What exactly is the difference between the two?

My understanding is something like this:

Muy = very/so

Example:

Maria es muy bonita.

Maria is very pretty or Maria is so pretty.

Tan = so + that (reason or justification)

Example:

Ella es tan baja, que no puede llegar a la mesa

She is so short, that she can't reach the table.

I am only a beginner so please feel free to correct my translation.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Tan and muy can be switched in many of the same ways that "so" and "very" can. But only tan can be used to start a comparison. - arocoun, Apr 2, 2012

Thanks arocoun! Does it mean that "so" and "very" can be interchanged anytime as long as there is no comparison involved in the sentence? - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

Oftentimes they can be exchanged when there is no comparison, especially in informal speech. But if you're unsure, use "very"/"muy" when there's no comparison. - arocoun, Apr 2, 2012

Thanks again arocoun! I'll do that ;) - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

Answer 1

Tan , is a comparative , as you write "Ella es tan baja, que no puede llegar a la mesa" , and Muy would sound strange in this case, very odd for example: ( a very common phrase; como pude ser tan tonto!, este diccionario es tan viejo que no se puede usar mas,(This dictionary is so old that can not be used)

translation of my mind about "Muy" would be in english Very, mm (something or someone who has a quality in abundance), for example: mi novia es muy hermosa(my girlfriend is so beutiful), eso es muy lindo(tha`s so cute)

if you have another question or you can`t understand my english let me know ok?

good luck

Thanks spanishwizard! I understand that "tan" is used instead of "muy when something is being compared. Does it mean that I can use it even if I am not comparing anything? Can I say Ella es tan bonita instead of Ella es muy bonita... - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

...and it is still considered correct? - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

to say that"ella es tan bonita" you can add more information , for example : ella es tan bonita que podria construirle un monumento - spanishwizard, Apr 2, 2012

so Yes its correct - spanishwizard, Apr 2, 2012

Thank you for the clarification!;) - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

Answer 2

I support what spanishwizard is saying... but, to summarize & to make it easier on yourself. Think of muy as only "very", something you use to describe quantity. Then, think of tan only as "so", something you use to compare. You can't go wrong that way.

You wouldn't say "she is very pretty" (she having lots of beauty) as "ella es tan bonita", you would say, "ella es muy bonita". Make sense?

Thanks Dj! I think that simplifies everything. I shall think of tan=so; muy=very. Thanks again! - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012

Answer 3

I'm confused about the correction made to JoyceM's post:

You are the cat's pyjamas.

Eres tan guay

Reference: English Word of the Day

It was corrected by cordobesa as "Eres muy guay". Don't they mean the same thing? I would've answered "tan" too because it's an idiomatic expression and you are basically comparing yourself to the cat's pyjamas?

I'm not sure if my understanding is correct but it'd be great if someone can explain this.

In this case, I'll suggest inkubzz explanation in the chat. ;-) - DJ_Huero, Apr 2, 2012

Yes, thank you.. both of you. I didn't know about elliptical sentences before. That helped a lot. ;) - cheskasullivan, Apr 2, 2012