Así

[SPX]

Can someone explain the proper use of así?

When I was in high school my teacher told me that it means "so" and that a proper reply to ¿Cómo estás? is así así, meaning "so so" or "okay, but not great."

However, when I've used this phrase with some native speakers they didn't seem to really understand what I meant.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

You can take a look here.

[wrholt]

Escrito originalmente por SPX

Can someone explain the proper use of así?

When I was in high school my teacher told me that it means "so" and that a proper reply to ¿Cómo estás? is así así, meaning "so so" or "okay, but not great."

However, when I've used this phrase with some native speakers they didn't seem to really understand what I meant.

It's true that in some contexts 'so' translates to 'así' or 'así' translates to 'so'. However, often this is not true.

Sometimes 'so' means 'in that manner/in that way' or 'for that reason/cause' or 'like this'; these meanings are usually compatible with 'así' or 'así que'.

For example, "I was ill, so I didn't go to school" = Estaba enfermo, así que no fui a la escuela.

For many other meanings of 'so', 'así' is NOT a valid translation. For example:

Sometimes 'so' means 'to such an extent'". This meaning often translates as 'tan' in Spanish: "I was so sick that I couldn't go to school" = "Estaba tan enfermo que no pude ir a la escuela".

[SPX]

Escrito originalmente por AngelicaDeAlquezar

You can take a look here.

That's interesting. I found something else as well where someone said that it's very common for American teachers to tell their students that "así así" means "so so."

My question is, Why? How did this start? Where did it come from? Why did it catch on?

I have to believe that SOMEWHERE the phrase is used. Either that or they got seriously trolled in real life.

Escrito originalmente por wrholt

It's true that in some contexts 'so' translates to 'así' or 'así' translates to 'so'. However, often this is not true.

Sometimes 'so' means 'in that manner/in that way' or 'for that reason/cause' or 'like this'; these meanings are usually compatible with 'así' or 'así que'.

For example, "I was ill, so I didn't go to school" = Estaba enfermo, así que no fui a la escuela.

For many other meanings of 'so', 'así' is NOT a valid translation. For example:

Sometimes 'so' means 'to such an extent'". This meaning often translates as 'tan' in Spanish: "I was so sick that I couldn't go to school" = "Estaba tan enfermo que no pude ir a la escuela".

Very interesting. Thanks for the explanation.

So what if you wanted to say, "She is SO tall"? Would you always use "muy"? Or could you say, "Ella es tan alta."

[Don José]

So what if you wanted to say,

In this sentence, we have another word for "so": entonces.

She is so tall = ella es muy alta
She is so tall that she hardly can find a bed to sleep in = ella es tan alta que ...

If you say 'Ella es tan alta", it sounds as if you had cut the sentence. However, you could be explaining the difficulties she finds due to her stature, to finish saying 'ella es tan alta...' (I wrote the ellipsis to mean a slightly change of entonation).

I wish I could explain better to you the use of 'tan', but even in Spanish it would be difficult to me to do it

Cita:
Escrito originalmente por AngelicaDeAlquezar
You can take a look here.

That's interesting. I found something else as well where someone said that it's very common for American teachers to tell their students that "así así" means "so so."

My question is, Why? How did this start? Where did it come from? Why did it catch on?

I have to believe that SOMEWHERE the phrase is used. Either that they got seriously trolled in real life.

There was nobody from Spain in that thread, so here I am to confirm that it is used in Spain. However, 'regular' is more frequently used.

[SPX]

Escrito originalmente por Don José

In this sentence, we have another word for "so": entonces.

She is so tall = ella es muy alta
She is so tall that she hardly can find a bed to sleep in = ella es tan alta que ...

If you say 'Ella es tan alta", it sounds as if you had cut the sentence. However, you could be explaining the difficulties she finds due to her stature, to finish saying 'ella es tan alta...' (I wrote the ellipsis to mean a slightly change of entonation).

I wish I could explain better to you the use of 'tan', but even in Spanish it would be difficult to me to do it

Good info. I think I understand.

But I thought entonces meant "then." For instance, "Fui a la tienda, y entonces fui a mi casa."

Is that incorrect?

Escrito originalmente por Don José

There was nobody from Spain in that thread, so here I am to confirm that it is used in Spain. However, 'regular' is more frequently used.

Ah. . .

Maybe that's where they're getting it from then.

Are there a lot of words and phrases that are used exclusively in Spain and the surrounding area? I've heard that Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish are in a similar situation as British English and American English, and there are certainly a lot of words and phrases in British English that are 100% not a part of American English.

[Don José]

But I thought entonces meant "then." For instance, "Fui a la tienda, y entonces fui a mi casa."

Is that incorrect?

It´s perfect, but sometimes (as in the 'so what...' sentence) 'so' can be also 'entonces'. When I have to translate 'entonces', I always have to think if using 'so' or 'then'.

Are there a lot of words and phrases that are used exclusively in Spain and the surrounding area? I've heard that Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish are in a similar situation as British English and American English, and there are certainly a lot of words and phrases in British English that are 100% not a part of American English.

Yes, and you will find differences among Latin American Spanish speaker countries also. Even if I travel across Spain, sometimes I discover that what I think it is an usual expression can't be understood (not very often, anyway). I'm living in a city a hundreds km appart from where I grew up, and there are a few words (only very few in fact) that were new to me.

[SPX]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I'll keep that in mind regarding "entonces."

What about "so" when speaking in the sense of:

My car broke down, so I took it to the mechanic.

I would probably use por lo tanto. Is there a better option for "so" in this case?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Not necessarily better, but alternative "...así que lo llevé al mecánico".

@Don José: Gracias. En México nunca se escucha así.

[SPX]

Ah, so así can be used in that sense as well. . .