What does tanto mean in Italian?
If you’ve been learning Italian for a while, you are probably already familiar with the word tanto, which can be used as both an adjective and an adverb in many types of sentences.
Usually, tanto can be translated as a lot (of), much, many, etc.
Ci sono tante verdure nel frigo.
There are a lot of vegetables in the fridge.
Ieri abbiamo lavorato tanto.
Yesterday we worked a lot.
Ci sono tanti modi diversi di suonare questo strumento.
There are many different ways of playing this instrument.
As an adjective, tanto becomes tanta, tanti, tante according to the gender and subject of what we are describing, while as an adverb, it stays the same.
What is the other meaning of tanto?
What you might not know is that, in Italian, tanto can also be used as a conjunction, which is a word that connects two clauses.
Have a look at the examples below:
Non dirgli niente, tanto non ti ascolta.
Don’t tell him anything; he won’t listen anyway.
Non l’ho invitata, tanto non sarebbe mai venuta.
I did not invite her; she would never have come anyway.
You need to be careful because tanto here has nothing to do with its original meaning! Instead, it means anyway, in any case, and it can also have a similar meaning to because.
Can tanto be used on its own?
Sometimes, especially in very informal contexts, Italians use tanto on its own as an answer to a question.
Perché non hai parlato con Giorgia?
Eh, tanto…
Why didn’t you talk to Giorgia?
There’s no use, anyway…
In this case, tanto expresses resignation, meaning that something is useless and that nothing would change it.
Perché hai smesso di studiare il Russo?
Mah, tanto…
Why did you quit studying Russian?
There’s no use, anyway…
Here, the speaker, by answering tanto… to the question, is transmitting the idea that there isn’t much point in studying Russian anyway. That it is not important and maybe was not taking him or her anywhere.
How to use tanto per?
Another common expression that includes the word tanto is tanto per + infinitive verb.
L’ho chiamato tanto per fare.
I called him without any specific reason.
If you do something tanto per fare, it means you do it with no specific reason, just to do it (just because).
Perché ti sei tinto i capelli?
Non so, tanto per cambiare un po’.
Why did you dye your hair?
I don’t know, just to change a bit.
Sometimes, tanto per is also used on its own in very informal settings.
Perché ti sei tinto i capelli?
Così, tanto per…
Why did you dye your hair?
Just because… (For no reason, really)
How to use tanto vale?
Another common expression with the word tanto is tanto vale + verb.
This expression can be translated with the English might as well + verb.
Have a look at the following examples:
Se non lavoriamo, tanto vale uscire!
If we do not work, we might as well go out!
Se hai iniziato, tanto vale finire!
If you started, you might as well finish!
Here are also other set expressions that include the word tanto.
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