tan triste
/tan tɾiste/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'so sad' is translated into Spanish as tan triste.
tan triste is an expression used to describe a person or a situation that is very unhappy or regrettable.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tan, which means 'so' or 'as' and triste, which means 'sad'.
Which one should you use?
While tan triste means 'so sad', often implying a comparison or a consequence, the standard way to say 'very sad' in Spanish is muy triste.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are describing multiple people or things, you must use the plural form tan tristes.
How do you pronounce it?
/tan tɾiste/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, saying someone is triste can occasionally refer to them being 'boring' or 'lackluster' rather than emotionally unhappy.
- The adjective triste remains unchanged in gender, meaning it is the same for both 'sad man' and 'sad woman', unlike many other Spanish adjectives.
- The word triste is a direct descendant of the Latin trīstis, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'tristful', a poetic term for being melancholy.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué te pone tan triste?What makes you so sad?This sentence is useful for asking what causes the state of being tan triste.Tatoeba #1327051 by marcelostockle, translation #24722 by CK
- ¿Por qué está tan triste?Why are you so sad?This sentence is useful for asking the reason for someone being tan triste.Tatoeba #744870 by Shishir, translation #744817 by Swift
- ¿Por qué te ves tan triste?Why are you looking so sad?This sentence is useful for asking why someone appears to be tan triste.Tatoeba #1402307 by marcelostockle, translation #36393 by CK
- Me entristece mucho ver tanta pobreza en el mundo.It saddens me a lot to see so much poverty in the world.
- Estoy super triste porque cancelaron la fiesta.I'm really sad because they canceled the party.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about a movie they just watched.
- JavierEl final de la película es tan triste.The end of the movie is so sad.
- MaríaSí, me puso tan triste que lloré.Yes, it made me so sad that I cried.
- JavierNo es una historia tan triste como creía.It is not as sad a story as I thought.
- MaríaAl menos es una película hermosa.At least it is a beautiful movie.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tan, triste, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
