tellement

Tellement is a French adverb used to express a high degree or intensity, equivalent to “so,” “so much,” or “so many” in English. It can modify adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, and it is often used to emphasize the extent of a quality or action. It can also introduce a result or consequence with the phrase “tellement que,” meaning “so much that.”

In usage, tellement is invariable: it does not change for gender or number and normally appears before the word it modifies. Examples include écouter tellement attentivement (to listen so closely), il parle tellement vite (he talks so fast), or C’était tellement intéressant (that was so interesting). It can also be used with verbs: Il travaille tellement pour réussir (He works so hard to succeed).

Tellement can quantify nouns when combined with de, as in tellement de gens (so many people) or tellement de temps (so much time). This construction is common in spoken French and in informal writing. In negative contexts, one often hears pas tellement, meaning not that much or not that greatly: je ne suis pas tellement convaincu.

Etymologically, tellement comes from the demonstrative adjective tel (such) plus the adverbial suffix -ment, forming an expression that means to such a degree. It is closely related in meaning to tant de or si, which can also express degree but with slightly different nuances or formality.

In modern usage, English equivalents include so, so much, or so many, depending on context. Tellement is a versatile intensifier found across a wide range of registers, from everyday speech to literary French.