JLPT N4 Grammar
· Elementary
Search pages and navigate
· Elementary
too much
Category: Compound Verbs
The grammar pattern "V-ます / Adj-stem + すぎる" is used to indicate that an action or state has gone beyond the normal or desirable limit. For example, if you drink too much alcohol, your head will hurt. This pattern is often used to express that something has exceeded a certain limit or boundary. It can also be used to convey a sense of regret or apology for exceeding that limit. The nuance of this pattern is to emphasize the extent to which something has gone beyond the normal or expected limit.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masu stem of a verb | V-ます + すぎる | 飲む (nomu) + すぎる = 飲みすぎる (nomisugiru) |
| Stem of an i-adjective | Adj-stem + すぎる | 熱い (atsui) + すぎる = 熱すぎる (atsusugiru) |
| Stem of a na-adjective | Adj-stem + すぎる | 大きい (ookii) + すぎる = 大きすぎる (ookisugiru) |
昨日お酒を飲みすぎて、頭が痛いです。
Kinou o-sake o nomisugite, atama ga itai desu.
I drank too much alcohol yesterday and my head hurts.
昨日 (kinou) = yesterday, お酒 (o-sake) = alcohol, 飲みすぎ (nomisugite) = drank too much, 頭が痛い (atama ga itai) = my head hurts
このカレーは食べられません。食べすぎると体が悪くなります。
Kono karē wa taberarenai desu. Tabesugiru to karada ga warui naru desu.
I can't eat this curry. If I eat too much, my body will get worse.
このカレー (kono karē) = this curry, は (wa) = topic marker, 食べられません (taberarenai) = can't eat, 食べすぎ (tabesugiru) = eat too much, 体が悪くなる (karada ga warui naru) = my body will get worse
この服は私には大きすぎます。
Kono fuku wa watashi niwa ookisugimasu.
This clothes are too big for me.
この服 (kono fuku) = this clothes, は (wa) = topic marker, 私には (watashi niwa) = for me, 大きすぎ (ookisugimasu) = too big
This pattern is used to express that something has exceeded a certain limit or boundary. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as when someone has eaten too much, drunk too much, or worn too much. The pattern is often used in polite language to express regret or apology for exceeding that limit.
For example, atsui-sugiru is incorrect, the correct form is atsu-sugiru.
For example, using too big with a person who is already big is not a good example.
For example, using tabesugiru as a standalone verb instead of using it as a part of the pattern.
Pay attention to the formation rules and usage notes. Practice using the pattern in different situations to get a feel for how it is used in context.
昨日お酒を______、頭が痛いです。
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.