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Read Japanese, beautifully.

N4

Too Much: 〜すぎる

About 8 minutes · written and reviewed by Haruki Yamamoto

Section 1 of 3

The basic meaning of 〜すぎる

〜すぎる means “too much” or “excessively.” It can describe doing too much of an action or a quality that is stronger than is comfortable, useful, or expected.

  1. Target signal

    昨日は食べすぎた。

    I ate too much yesterday.

    Verb stem + すぎる means 'do too much'.

    Vocabulary notes
    昨日きのう
    yesterday
    はわ
    topic marker
    日ひ
    day

  2. Compare in context

    このかばんは高すぎる。

    This bag is too expensive.

    い-adjectives drop い before すぎる.

    Vocabulary notes
    すぎる〜すぎる
    too much; excessively
    かばん
    bag
    この
    this

Section 2 of 3

How it attaches

With verbs, attach すぎる to the verb stem. With い-adjectives, remove い and add すぎる. With な-adjectives, attach すぎる directly to the stem.

  1. Target signal

    飲みすぎないでください。

    Please do not drink too much.

    Negative forms like 飲みすぎない are also common.

    Vocabulary notes
    ください
    please give; please do
    ないで〜ないで
    without doing; instead of doing
    ない
    not; there is not

  2. Preview

    この部屋は静かすぎて落ち着かない。

    This room is so quiet that I cannot relax.

    な-adjectives attach directly: 静かすぎる.

    Vocabulary notes
    かな
    I wonder; maybe
    この
    this
    ない
    not; there is not

Section 3 of 3

Reading tone and attitude

In reading, 〜すぎる often signals complaint, surprise, or criticism. Notice what standard the speaker is comparing against: time, amount, difficulty, noise, speed, or price.

  1. Target signal

    説明が短すぎて、よく分からなかった。

    The explanation was too short, so I did not really understand it.

    〜すぎる often carries complaint or criticism.

    Vocabulary notes
    から
    from; because
    よく
    often; well
    説明せつめい
    explanation

  2. Preview

    働きすぎると、体に悪い。

    If you work too much, it is bad for your body.

    The pattern can describe harmful excess in general truths too.

    Vocabulary notes
    すぎる〜すぎる
    too much; excessively
    悪いわるい
    bad
    と
    and; with; that

Reading in context

Read for meaning before checking the answer

Before you read

Read once for the situation. Then notice how 〜すぎる changes the meaning before you check the translation.

昨日は食べすぎた。 このかばんは高すぎる。 飲みすぎないでください。 この部屋は静かすぎて落ち着かない。 説明が短すぎて、よく分からなかった。 働きすぎると、体に悪い。 もう一度読み、意味のつながりを考えましょう。もう一度読み、意味のつながりを考えましょう。もう一度読み、意味のつながりを考えましょう

Show English translation

I ate too much yesterday. This bag is too expensive. Please do not drink too much. This room is so quiet that I cannot relax. The explanation was too short, so I did not really understand it. If you work too much, it is bad for your body.

Contextual questions

Answer from the passage before you reveal each explanation.

  1. What is the first reading job for this passage?

    • Identify the situation and how 〜すぎる changes it.
    • Translate every word before using context.
    • Ignore the ending because only vocabulary matters.
    • Choose an answer before reading the full passage.
    Check the answer

    Identify the situation and how 〜すぎる changes it.

    The goal is to use the situation first, then confirm the role of 〜すぎる in context.

Guided practice

Apply the lesson in a few different ways

Work through each prompt, then check the explanation before moving on.

Activity 1 of 5Choose the best context

Which means 'too cold'?

Activity 2 of 5Fill the blank

Complete the chunk that carries the lesson meaning (〜すぎる).

＿＿＿は食べすぎた。

Activity 3 of 5Put it in order

Put these related examples back into the order used in the lesson.

  1. 1このかばんは高すぎる。
  2. 2飲みすぎないでください。
  3. 3昨日は食べすぎた。
Activity 4 of 5Infer from the passage

What should guide your interpretation of 〜すぎる in the mini-reading?

Activity 5 of 5Infer from the passage

Cumulative checkpoint: Which reading habit helps you combine this lesson with the earlier grammar?

Mastery check 1/3

Which means 'too cold'?