Topics

Intermediate

Result Clauses

How to express consequences and degrees in Spanish, English and Chinese.

Compare languages

English uses 'so...that' and 'such...that'. Spanish uses 'tan...que' and 'tanto...que'. Chinese uses '太tài...了le' and '这zhè么mó/那nà么mó...'.

Overview

Result clauses express consequences: so tired that I fell asleep, too small to reach.

Spanish: Uses tan + adjective/adverb + que and tanto + noun + que. The subjunctive may appear for hypothetical results. Demasiado…para expresses “too…to.”
English: Uses so + adjective/adverb + that and such + (a/an) + adjective + noun + that. “Too…to” and “…enough to” are also common.
Chinese: Uses 太tài + adjective + 了le for “too.” Result is introduced with 以yǐ至zhì于yú or simply juxtaposed. 这zhè么mó/那nà么mó equates to “so.”

Spanish

Tan…que (so…that)

With adjectives and adverbs:

Es tan alto que toca el techo. (He’s so tall that he touches the ceiling.)
Corre tan rápido que nadie puede alcanzarlo. (He runs so fast that no one can catch him.)
Está tan cansado que se durmió. (He’s so tired that he fell asleep.)

Tanto…que (so much…that)

With nouns and verbs:

Tiene tanto dinero que no sabe qué hacer con él. (He has so much money that he doesn’t know what to do with it.)
Comió tanto que le dolía el estómago. (He ate so much that his stomach hurt.)
Llovió tanto que se inundó la calle. (It rained so much that the street flooded.)

Agreement: tanto agrees with the noun:

tanta agua (fem)
tantos libros (masc pl)
tantas personas (fem pl)

Demasiado…para (too…to)

Es demasiado alto para entrar. (He’s too tall to enter.)
Es demasiado caro para comprarlo. (It’s too expensive to buy.)
Llegó demasiado tarde para verla. (He arrived too late to see her.)

Lo suficientemente…para / bastante…para (enough to)

Es lo suficientemente alto para tocarlo. (He’s tall enough to touch it.)
Es bastante inteligente para entenderlo. (He’s smart enough to understand it.)
No es lo suficientemente bueno para ganar. (He’s not good enough to win.)

Subjunctive in result clauses

When the result is hypothetical, potential, or future:

Es tan difícil que no pueda terminar. (It’s so difficult that I might not finish. — subjunctive: possibility)
Es tan difícil que no puedo terminar. (It’s so difficult that I can’t finish. — indicative: certainty)

English

So…that

With adjectives and adverbs:

He is so tall that he hits his head on the doorframe.
She spoke so quietly that I couldn’t hear her.
It was so cold that the lake froze.

So + much/many/little/few + noun:

He has so much money that he doesn’t know what to do with it.
There were so many people that we couldn’t move.
I have so little time that I can’t finish.

Such…that

With noun phrases:

It was such a good movie that I watched it twice.
He is such a good person that everyone loves him.
They faced such difficulties that they almost gave up.

Such + adjective + plural/uncountable noun:

They are such good students that the teacher is proud.
It was such beautiful weather that we went to the park.

Too…to

He is too young to drive.
The box is too heavy for me to lift.
It was too late to apologize.

Too + adjective + for + person + to + verb:

The coffee was too hot for her to drink.

…enough to

He is old enough to vote.
She is tall enough to reach the shelf.
I don’t have enough money to buy it.

Adjective/adverb + enough:

The room is big enough.
He didn’t run fast enough.

Enough + noun:

We don’t have enough time.
Do you have enough food?

So vs such

	Use	Example
so	adjective/adverb alone	so tall, so quickly
so	much/many/little/few + noun	so much money
such	a/an + adjective + noun	such a beautiful day
such	adjective + plural noun	such beautiful days
such	adjective + uncountable noun	such beautiful weather

Chinese

太tài…了le (too…)

太tài + adjective + 了le expresses excess:

太tài贵guì了le。(Too expensive.)
太tài累lèi了le。(Too tired.)
太tài远yuǎn了le。(Too far.)

Result: Add consequence with 以yǐ至zhì于yú or context:

太tài贵guì了le，我wǒ买mǎi不bù起qǐ。(Too expensive, I can’t afford it.)
太tài累lèi了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú睡shuì着zháo了le。(So tired that I fell asleep.)

这zhè么mó/那nà么mó… (so…)

这zhè么me (this/so) and 那nà么me (that/so):

这zhè么me好hǎo (so good)
这zhè么me快kuài (so fast)
那nà么me贵guì (that expensive / so expensive)

With 以yǐ至zhì于yú:

他tā跑pǎo得de这zhè么me快kuài，以yǐ至zhì于yú我wǒ追zhuī不bù上shàng。(He runs so fast that I can’t catch up.)

这zhè么mó/那nà么mó多duō (so much/many)

这zhè么me多duō钱qián (so much money)
这zhè么me多duō人rén (so many people)
那nà么me少shǎo时shí间jiān (so little time)

不bù能néng/没méi办bàn法fǎ… (too…to)

Chinese expresses “too…to” through negative ability:

太tài高gāo了le，我wǒ够gòu不bù到dào。(Too tall, I can’t reach.)
太tài难nán了le，我wǒ做zuò不bù了liǎo。(Too hard, I can’t do it.)

够gòu… (enough)

够gòu + adjective:

够gòu高gāo (tall enough)
够gòu好hǎo (good enough)
不bù够gòu钱qián (not enough money)

Pattern: 够gòu + adjective + 可kě以yǐ/能néng + verb:

够gòu大dà了le，可kě以yǐ进jìn去qù。(Big enough, can enter.)

得dé (de) for degree result

他tā累lèi得de睡shuì着zháo了le。(He was so tired that he fell asleep.)
我wǒ饿è得de能néng吃chī一yì头tóu牛niú。(I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.)

Comparison at a glance

Pattern	Spanish	English	Chinese
So + adj + that	tan + adj + que	so + adj + that	太tài/这zhè么mó + adj + 以yǐ至zhì于yú
So much + noun + that	tanto + noun + que	so much/many + noun + that	这zhè么mó多duō + noun + 以yǐ至zhì于yú
Such + noun + that	tan + adj + noun + que	such + a/an + adj + noun + that	这zhè么mó + adj + noun
Too + adj + to	demasiado + adj + para	too + adj + to	太tài + adj + 了le + 不bù能néng
Enough to	lo suficientemente + adj + para	adj + enough + to	够gòu + adj + 可kě以yǐ

Examples

In Context

Spanish	English	Chinese
Es tan alto que* se golpea la cabeza.*	He’s so tall that* he hits his head.*	他tā太tài高gāo了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú会huì碰pèng到dào头tóu。
Es demasiado caro para* comprarlo.*	It’s too expensive to* buy.*	太tài贵guì了le，买mǎi不bù起qǐ。
Es lo suficientemente mayor para* votar.*	She’s old enough to* vote.*	她tā够gòu年nián龄líng了le，可kě以yǐ投tóu票piào。

Common mistakes

Chinese speakers learning English: Using very instead of so: He was very tired that he slept → He was so tired that he slept
English speakers learning Spanish: Forgetting agreement in tanto: tanto dinero → correct, but tanta agua → must agree
English speakers learning Chinese: Omitting 了le: 太tài贵guì → 太tài贵guì了le
Spanish speakers learning English: Using such with adjective alone: He is such tall → He is so tall

Comparisons: How degree and comparison overlap
Modals: How ability relates to “too…to” and “enough”
Subjunctive: How Spanish uses subjunctive in hypothetical results
Word Order: How result clauses are structured

Examples

So tall that...

tan alto que...

So fast that...

tan rápido que...

Such a good book that...

un libro tan bueno que...

So much money that...

tanto dinero que...

Too tall to...

demasiado alto para...

Enough to...

lo suficientemente... para / bastante... para

Examples

So tall that...

so tall that...

So fast that...

so fast that...

Such a good book that...

such a good book that...

So much money that...

so much money that...

Too tall to...

too tall to...

Enough to...

...enough to...

Examples

So tall that...

太tài高gāo了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

So fast that...

这zhè么mó快kuài，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

Such a good book that...

这zhè本běn书shū这zhè么mó好hǎo，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

So much money that...

这zhè么mó多duō钱qián，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

Too tall to...

太tài高gāo了le，不bù能néng...

Enough to...

够gòu...，可kě以yǐ...

Comparison at a glance

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
So tall that...	tan alto que...	so tall that...	太tài高gāo了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
So fast that...	tan rápido que...	so fast that...	这zhè么mó快kuài，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
Such a good book that...	un libro tan bueno que...	such a good book that...	这zhè本běn书shū这zhè么mó好hǎo，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
So much money that...	tanto dinero que...	so much money that...	这zhè么mó多duō钱qián，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
Too tall to...	demasiado alto para...	too tall to...	太tài高gāo了le，不bù能néng...
Enough to...	lo suficientemente... para / bastante... para	...enough to...	够gòu...，可kě以yǐ...

Side-by-side comparison

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
So tall that...	tan alto que...	so tall that...	太tài高gāo了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
So fast that...	tan rápido que...	so fast that...	这zhè么mó快kuài，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
Such a good book that...	un libro tan bueno que...	such a good book that...	这zhè本běn书shū这zhè么mó好hǎo，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
So much money that...	tanto dinero que...	so much money that...	这zhè么mó多duō钱qián，以yǐ至zhì于yú...
Too tall to...	demasiado alto para...	too tall to...	太tài高gāo了le，不bù能néng...
Enough to...	lo suficientemente... para / bastante... para	...enough to...	够gòu...，可kě以yǐ...

Examples in context

So tall that...

Spanish

tan alto que...

English

so tall that...

Chinese

太tài高gāo了le，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

So fast that...

Spanish

tan rápido que...

English

so fast that...

Chinese

这zhè么mó快kuài，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

Such a good book that...

Spanish

un libro tan bueno que...

English

such a good book that...

Chinese

这zhè本běn书shū这zhè么mó好hǎo，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

So much money that...

Spanish

tanto dinero que...

English

so much money that...

Chinese

这zhè么mó多duō钱qián，以yǐ至zhì于yú...

Too tall to...

Spanish

demasiado alto para...

English

too tall to...

Chinese

太tài高gāo了le，不bù能néng...

Enough to...

Spanish

lo suficientemente... para / bastante... para

English

...enough to...

Chinese

够gòu...，可kě以yǐ...

Key Takeaways

Spanish: Uses tan + adjective/adverb + que and tanto + noun + que. The subjunctive may appear for hypothetical results. Demasiado... para expresses "t.

English: Uses so + adjective/adverb + that and such + (a/an) + adjective + noun + that. "Too... to" and "... enough to" are also common.

Chinese: Uses 太tài + adjective + 了le for "too. " Result is introduced with 以yǐ至zhì于yú or simply juxtaposed. 这zhè么mó/那nà么mó equates to "so.

Key concepts compared: So tall that... , So fast that... , Such a good book that... , So much money that... , Too tall to...

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does English require 'so' + adjective + 'that' while Spanish uses 'tan...que' and Chinese uses <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby> + adjective + <ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> without a conjunction?

English result clauses are biclausal: 'He was SO tired THAT he fell asleep.' 'So' intensifies the adjective; 'that' introduces the result. Spanish is also biclausal: *Era TAN alto QUE no cabía.* Chinese can be monoclausal: <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby><ruby>高<rt>gāo</rt></ruby><ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> (Too tall [implied result]) where the result is understood from context. The explicit result connector <ruby>以<rt>yǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>至<rt>zhì</rt></ruby><ruby>于<rt>yú</rt></ruby> exists but is more literary. An English speaker learning Chinese will insert unnecessary conjunctions: <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby><ruby>高<rt>gāo</rt></ruby><ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby><ruby>所<rt>suǒ</rt></ruby><ruby>以<rt>yǐ</rt></ruby> (too tall so — redundant). A Chinese speaker learning English must learn the obligatory 'so...that' frame, which feels like over-specification.

How does Chinese <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby>...<ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> differ from English 'too' in terms of whether the result is positive or negative?

English 'too' is inherently negative: 'too tall' means excessively tall (a problem). Chinese <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby>...<ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> is neutral or positive: <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby><ruby>好<rt>hǎo</rt></ruby><ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> can mean 'extremely good' (positive) or 'too good' (sarcastic/negative), depending on intonation and context. English speakers learning Chinese will avoid <ruby>太<rt>tài</rt></ruby> in positive contexts, thinking it must be negative. Chinese speakers learning English will use 'too' positively: 'This restaurant is too good' (sounding like a complaint when they mean praise). Spanish *demasiado* is negative like English 'too,' so Spanish speakers have a similar bias.

Why do learners confuse English 'so' and 'such' in result clauses, and does Spanish or Chinese have a similar distinction?

English 'so' modifies adjectives and adverbs ('so TALL'), while 'such' modifies noun phrases ('such A TALL MAN'). Spanish uses *tan* for adjectives (*tan alto*) and *tal* for nouns (*tal hombre*), a clearer morphological split. Chinese has no such distinction: <ruby>这<rt>zhè</rt></ruby><ruby>么<rt>mó</rt></ruby><ruby>高<rt>gāo</rt></ruby> (so tall) and <ruby>这<rt>zhè</rt></ruby><ruby>样<rt>yàng</rt></ruby><ruby>的<rt>de</rt></ruby><ruby>人<rt>rén</rt></ruby> (such a person) use different words but the distinction is lexical, not grammatical. English learners frequently produce 'such tall' instead of 'so tall' or 'so a tall man' instead of 'such a tall man.' Spanish speakers, used to *tan/tal,* rarely confuse them. Chinese speakers must learn the adjective vs. noun-phrase rule from scratch.

References

Nueva gramática de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, 2010
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language — Huddleston & Pullum, Cambridge University Press, 2002
A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Chinese Language — Li & Thompson, 1981

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subordination conditionals

Last updated: June 4, 2026

Overview

Spanish

Tan…que (so…that)

Tanto…que (so much…that)

Demasiado…para (too…to)

Lo suficientemente…para / bastante…para (enough to)

Subjunctive in result clauses

English

So…that

Such…that

Too…to

…enough to

So vs such

Chinese

太tài…了le (too…)

这zhè么mó/那nà么mó… (so…)

这zhè么mó/那nà么mó多duō (so much/many)

不bù能néng/没méi办bàn法fǎ… (too…to)

够gòu… (enough)

得dé (de) for degree result

Comparison at a glance

Examples

In Context

Common mistakes

Related topics

Examples

Examples

Examples

Comparison at a glance

Side-by-side comparison

Examples in context

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

References