bastante
/basˈtante/
In Spanish, 'quite' is translated as bastante.
bastante is used to express that something is to a moderate extent. In Spanish, it is often used to indicate that a quantity is sufficient or adequate, whereas in English 'quite' is more frequently used as an intensifier for adjectives.
Meaning: to a moderate extent (adv)
Which one should you use?
While bastante means 'quite' (to a moderate extent), the word muy means 'very' (to a higher degree).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word bastante can function as both an adverb meaning 'quite' and an adjective meaning 'enough' or 'sufficient'. When bastante is used as an adjective modifying a plural noun, it must agree in number by taking the form bastantes, which translates to 'quite a few' or 'many'.
How do you pronounce it?
/basˈtante/
Did you know?
- The root of bastante traces back to the Greek word bastázō, which means 'to carry' or 'to support'. This suggests the historical idea of a word 'carrying' enough weight to be sufficient.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying bastante can be a polite way to avoid a direct 'no' when someone asks if you have enough of something.
- The word bastante is used in the common expression ¡Ya es bastante!, which serves as a sharp command to stop a behavior, meaning 'that's enough'.
Examples in context
- Esto es bastante bueno.This is quite good.This sentence shows how to use bastante to modify an adjective.Tatoeba #4329307 by pchamorro, translation #3393276 by CK
- Yo soy bastante tímido.I'm quite shy.This sentence demonstrates using bastante with an adjective describing a person.Tatoeba #8790292 by arh, translation #12390041 by Nandixer
- Hace bastante calor hoy.It's quite hot today.This sentence illustrates how to use bastante with a noun phrase to describe weather conditions.Tatoeba #615101 by Leono, translation #6815386 by CK
- El proyecto es bastante importante.The project is quite important.
- El equipo trabajó suficientemente bien.The team worked quite well.
- El viaje fue relativamente largo.The trip was quite long.
- Soy requete feliz.I'm quite happy.
- La película fue super interesante.The movie was quite interesting.
- La comida está bien picante.The food is quite spicy.
- El concierto estuvo re bien.The concert was quite good.
- Está muy bueno este pastel.This cake is quite delicious.
- 186 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are discussing a new restaurant.
- María¿Te gustó la comida?Did you like the food?
- AlejandroSí, estaba bastante rica.Yes, it was quite tasty.
- María¿Y el servicio fue bueno?And was the service good?
- AlejandroFue bastante rápido.It was quite fast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quite” translations and entries bastante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bastante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
