N4 · Adjectives and adverbs
Too much, easy to, hard to
すぎる, やすい and にくい
すぎる says "too", やすい and にくい say "easy to" and "hard to", and all three attach to a stem.
すぎる on its own means "to go past", and attached to a stem it means "too much". An i-adjective drops its い: 高すぎる, "too expensive". A na-adjective takes it directly: 静かすぎる. A verb uses its ます-stem: 食べすぎる, "to eat too much", 飲みすぎる, "to drink too much". The result is a る-verb and conjugates like one: 高すぎます, 食べすぎました.
In neutral and polite speech すぎる is a complaint: something went past what was wanted. Among friends, especially younger speakers, おいしすぎる can be exaggerated praise, but that is a casual habit. If you mean "very", say とても; このケーキはおいしすぎます in a polite conversation sounds as if the cake has a problem.
やすい ("easy to") and にくい ("hard to") also attach to the ます-stem, and turn the verb into an i-adjective: 読みやすい, "easy to read", わかりにくい, "hard to understand". They can describe how easily an action is done, or a tendency: 白い服は汚れやすい, "white clothes get dirty easily".
Learners trip on two things here. They attach the endings to the dictionary form — 読むやすい — instead of the stem. And they confuse this やすい with 安い, "cheap": the sound is the same, but as an ending it is a different word and is written in kana.
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| too expensive | 高すぎる |
| too quiet | 静かすぎる |
| to eat too much | 食べすぎる |
| drank too much (polite) | 飲みすぎました |
| too good | よすぎる |
| easy to read | 読みやすい |
| hard to understand | わかりにくい |
The rules one by one
すぎる replaces the い of an i-adjective, follows a na-adjective directly, and follows the ます-stem of a verb.
この問題は難しすぎます。This problem is too difficult.
The result conjugates as a る-verb.
昨日は飲みすぎました。I drank too much yesterday.
やすい and にくい follow the ます-stem and conjugate as i-adjectives.
この辞書は使いやすいです。This dictionary is easy to use.
すぎる usually criticises; for a plain "very", use とても.
この部屋はとても静かです。This room is very quiet.
ない inserts さ before すぎる: なさすぎる.
時間がなさすぎて、何もできませんでした。There was so little time that I could not do anything.
A closer look
すぎ as a noun
The stem of すぎる works as a noun: 食べすぎ is "overeating", 飲みすぎ "drinking too much", 働きすぎ "overwork". It turns up on warning notices and in doctors' advice.
In speech it also ends a sentence by itself, with だ or without: それは高すぎ！, "That's way too expensive!" This is casual and not for polite conversation.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the adjective is いい or ない
ない becomes なさすぎる; いい becomes よすぎる, and in casual speech often よさすぎる.
この話は条件がよすぎて、ちょっと怪しいです。The terms of this offer are too good; it is a little suspicious.
A stem of a single syllable is too short to carry the ending clearly, so a さ is put in — always after な, and often after よ.
How to spot it
- 〜すぎる
- 〜すぎます
- 〜やすい
- 〜にくい
- 〜なさすぎる
Example sentences
このシャツは私には大きすぎます。This shirt is too big for me.
昨日の夜、食べすぎて眠れませんでした。I ate too much last night and could not sleep.
先生の説明はとてもわかりやすいです。The teacher's explanations are very easy to understand.
この薬は苦くて飲みにくいです。This medicine is bitter and hard to take.
雪の日は道が滑りやすいので、気をつけてください。On snowy days the roads are slippery, so please take care.
彼は真面目すぎると思います。I think he is too serious.
8 more example sentences
家賃が高すぎて、引っ越しました。The rent was too high, so I moved.
働きすぎは体によくないですよ。Working too much is not good for your health.
このペンは書きやすいですね。This pen is nice to write with.
駅から遠くて行きにくい場所です。It is far from the station and hard to get to.
白い服は汚れやすいです。White clothes get dirty easily.
テレビの音が大きすぎますよ。The TV is too loud.
この町は住みやすいと思います。I think this town is a good place to live.
説明が長すぎて、よくわかりませんでした。The explanation was too long, and I did not really understand it.
Worth knowing (2)
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Two words that sound like やすい
安い is "cheap" and stands on its own; the ending やすい is "easy to" and never stands alone. They can even meet in one sentence, and the kana spelling of the ending is what keeps them apart on the page.
この店は安くて、入りやすいです。This shop is cheap and easy to walk into.
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A warning with すぎ
The noun form is common in advice: 〜すぎに気をつける is "to be careful not to overdo something".
食べすぎに気をつけてください。Be careful not to overeat.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
やすい, にくい and すぎる all hang on the ます-stem, the part before ます: 読みます gives 読み. The dictionary form cannot take them.
すぎる, やすい and にくい all hang on a stem: drop the い, or take the ます-stem.
Your turn
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