Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| demasiado | /demaˈsjado/ |
| en demasía | /en demaˈsia/ |
| demasiadamente | /demaˌsjadaˈmente/ |
| más de la cuenta | /ˌmas de la ˈkwenta/ |
You can use the phrase más de la cuenta idiomatically in conversational settings to mean 'too much' or 'more than is reasonable'.
Which one should you use?
Use the invariant demasiado for 'too much' (adverb), but use gender/number agreement for 'too many' or 'too much' (adjective) modifying a noun.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The adverb demasiadamente is typically used in written or academic contexts, and the phrase en demasía is a formal or literary way to say that something is 'in excess'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When demasiado functions as an adverb modifying a verb or an adjective, it remains invariant as demasiado. When used as an adjective to mean 'too many' or 'too much' in relation to a noun, the form must agree in gender and number with that noun (using demasiado/a/os/as).
How do you pronounce it?
/demaˈsjado/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word más is a distant relative of the English word 'master'. Both trace their roots back to the Latin word magister, which relates to being 'greater' or 'more'.
- The expression más de la cuenta literally means 'more than the account'. It evokes the image of a ledger or a bill where the total has exceeded the allowed limit.
- In Spanish, demasiado can be used as an intensifier that doesn't always mean 'too much' in a negative sense. In some contexts, it can function similarly to 'extremely' or 'very'.
Examples in context
- Creo que bebí demasiado.I think that I drank too much.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have consumed an excessive amount of a liquid.Tatoeba #646762 by Shishir, translation #646558 by CM
- Hablas demasiado de Tom.You talk about Tom too much.This sentence is useful for describing an excessive amount of talking about a specific person.Tatoeba #5567228 by swyter, translation #3170961 by CK
- No bebas demasiado café.Don't drink too much coffee.This sentence is useful for giving a command to avoid consuming an excessive amount of a substance.Tatoeba #6817894 by arh, translation #6817223 by CK
- Tu tarea es demasiado complicada.Your homework is too complicated.
- Mi jefe tiene demasiada autoridad.My boss has too much authority.
- Ella tiene un gasto excesivo en ropa.She has excessive spending on clothes.
- El volumen de la música es excesivo.The volume of the music is too loud.
- El metro está abarrotado en hora punta.The subway is too crowded during rush hour.
- Tenemos montones de tarea esta semana.We have a ton of homework this week.
- Tengo un monte de trabajo por hacer.I have a lot of work to do.
- Tomé un chorro de café para mantenerme despierto.I drank a lot of coffee to stay awake.
- Él tiene un chorro de dinero.He has a lot of money.
- 318 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing a movie they just watched.
- LucíaLa película me gustó, pero fue demasiado larga.I liked the movie, but it was too long.
- MateoTienes razón, Mateo piensa lo mismo.You are right, Mateo thinks the same.
- LucíaEl final me pareció demasiado triste.The ending seemed too sad to me.
- MateoSí, lloré demasiado al final.Yes, I cried too much at the end.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “too much” translations and entries demasiado, en demasía, demasiadamente, más de la cuenta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuenta, de, demasiadamente, demasiado, demasía, en, la, más, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
