Yuka〜すぎる is one of the most expressive patterns in Japanese — and learners love it once they get it. Let’s learn it!
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 〜すぎる | too ~ / way too ~ / excessively ~ |
| 〜すぎ | too much (casual noun form) |
TOC
How 〜すぎる Works
すぎる attaches to the stem of verbs and adjectives to mean “excessively” or “too much.”
i-adjective: drop い, add すぎる
- 高い → 高すぎる — too expensive
- 難しい → 難しすぎる — too difficult
- 暑い → 暑すぎる — way too hot
na-adjective: drop な, add すぎる
- 複雑 → 複雑すぎる — too complicated
- 静か → 静かすぎる — too quiet
verb: use verb stem + すぎる
- 食べる → 食べすぎる — to eat too much
- 飲む → 飲みすぎる — to drink too much
- 働く → 働きすぎる — to work too hard
Example Sentences
- この映画は長すぎる。 — This movie is too long.
- 昨日飲みすぎた。 — I drank too much yesterday.
- 高すぎて買えない。 — It’s too expensive to buy.
- 優しすぎるのも問題だよ。 — Being too kind is also a problem.
ReiCan I use すぎ as a noun?
YukaYes! 食べすぎ (eating too much), 飲みすぎ (drinking too much) are common nouns — especially for health topics.
Quick Quiz
Translate: “That test was way too hard.”
Answer: あのテストは難しすぎた。
—
Want to practice grammar patterns like すぎる in natural conversation? Find a tutor!
💬 Want to practice these phrases with a real person? Find a Japanese conversation partner or tutor on italki — speaking practice you can start today.
Related Articles
あわせて読みたい
あり得ない vs 無理: Unbelievable vs Impossible in Japanese あり得ない and 無理 are two popular expressions for “no way” and “impossible” — but they’re not interchangeable. Let’s se...
あわせて読みたい
難しい: How to Say “Difficult” in Japanese ExpressionReadingMeaning難しいmuzukashiiDifficult / hard / complex難しそうmuzukashisouLooks difficult / seems hard難しくないmuzukashikunaiNot difficult / not...