Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Tampouco continues a negative. Tão pouco measures a surprisingly small amount.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
tampouco
neither, nor, or not either
Use tampouco for adding a second negative statement.
tão pouco
so little
Use tão pouco for emphasizing a small quantity or short duration.
How to choose
- tampouco: Choose tampouco if the sentence points to adding a second negative statement.
- tão pouco: Choose tão pouco if the sentence points to emphasizing a small quantity or short duration.
Examples
Ele não telefonou, tampouco enviou mensagem.
He did not call, nor did he send a message.
Dormimos tão pouco durante a viagem.
We slept so little during the trip.
Common trap
If muito pouco makes sense, write tão pouco. If também não makes sense, use tampouco.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with tampouco, then once with tão pouco. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.