tan ... que
So ... That
Tan ... que says that something is so much that a result follows.
How It Works
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| tan + adjective or adverb (consonant) | Fa tan fred que restam dins l'ostal. (It is so cold that we stay in the house.) |
| tant + adjective (vowel) | Maria èra tant urosa que cantava. (Maria was so happy that she sang.) |
| tant de + noun | I aviá tant de monde que podiam pas passar. (There were so many people that we could not get through.) |
The part after que is the result, and its verb is usually in the indicative. In English you often need so or such, and the Occitan has just tan or tant.
Writers also use tant before a consonant at times (tant fòrt), but tan is the form to use. Compare the same words in tan ... coma, which says that two things are equal.
Examples (5)
- Fa tan fred que restam dins l'ostal.
It is so cold that we stay in the house.
Tan before fred, a consonant.
- Aquel libre es tan bon que lo legissi cada an.
That book is so good that I read it every year.
Tan bon que: the result follows.
- Maria èra tant urosa que cantava tot lo jorn.
Maria was so happy that she sang all day.
Tant before urosa, a vowel.
- I aviá tant de monde que podiam pas passar.
There were so many people that we could not get through.
Tant de goes with a noun.
- Fa tan caud que dormissi pas.
It is so hot that I cannot sleep.
Pas follows the verb in the result.
Common Mistakes
Using the French word si for so
Fa si caud que dormissi pas.Fa tan caud que dormissi pas.Si is French. Occitan uses tan before a consonant and tant before a vowel.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Tant ... que adds a result clause to the comparison with tan ... coma, so that comparison and que come first.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice tan ... que in Bubblegum
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