What is the difference between "tan" and "tanto"?

In the context of Spanish language, "tan" and "tanto" are both words that can be used for comparisons or to express quantities, but they are used differently in sentences.

"Tan" is an adverb of degree that means "so" or "as" in English. It is used before adjectives or adverbs to intensify the degree or extent of a particular quality. For example, "tan alto" means "so tall" or "as tall," where "alto" is the adjective being modified by "tan."

"Tanto," on the other hand, is an adjective or pronoun that means "so much," "so many," "as much," or "as many." It agrees in gender and number with the noun it is referring to. "Tanto" has four forms: tanto, tanta, tantos, tantas, which must match the noun they modify or replace. For example, "tengo tanto dinero" means "I have so much money," where "dinero" is a masculine noun and "tanto" is modifying it.

In summary, use "tan" before an adjective or adverb to express the degree, and "tanto" as an adjective or pronoun to indicate quantity.