Japatan
Formation
- Vます形 + すぎる(食べ + すぎる)
- いA(〜い を取る) + すぎる(高 + すぎる)
- なA + すぎる(静か + すぎる)
- いい → よすぎる、ない → なさすぎる
Explanation
すぎる shows that an amount or degree goes beyond what is right. With verbs: do too much (食べすぎる); with adjectives: too ~ (高すぎる, 静かすぎる). It usually implies a problem and often appears as 〜すぎて, … (too ~, so …). It conjugates like a group II verb: すぎます, すぎて, すぎた.
Examples
昨日の 夜 食べすぎて、おなかが 痛いです。
I ate too much last night, and my stomach hurts.
この シャツは 私には 大きすぎます。
This shirt is too big for me.
この 町は 静かすぎて、夜は ちょっと 怖いです。
This town is too quiet, so it's a little scary at night.
試験の 問題が 難しすぎて、全然 わかりませんでした。
The exam questions were too difficult; I didn't understand them at all.
Notes
To praise something strongly, use とても instead (とても親切です). いい becomes よすぎる and ない becomes なさすぎる.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1この カレーは（ ）すぎて、食べられません。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 辛
This curry is too spicy to eat. Drop the final い of an i-adjective before すぎる: 辛すぎて.
2昨日 話し（ ）、今日は 声が 出ません。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 すぎて
I talked too much yesterday, so I have no voice today. すぎる conjugates like a group II verb, so its te-form is すぎて, which here gives the reason.
3この 問題は 簡単（ ）、練習に なりません。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 すぎて
These questions are too easy to be good practice. A na-adjective connects directly: 簡単すぎて, with no な, に or だ.
