What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of demasiado, which means "too much" or "excessively" and fácil, which means "easy".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Chile, you may hear the colloquial expression re sencillo. In this context, re is an informal abbreviation of recontra, meaning "very" or "really". In Spain and some Latin American countries such as Mexico, the colloquial expression pan comido is also used to express that something is very easy.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase demasiado fácil, demasiado functions as an adverb modifying the adjective fácil and remains in its masculine singular form regardless of the gender of the noun it describes. However, while demasiado remains unchanged as an adverb, the adjective fácil must change to fáciles to agree with a plural noun, such as in tareas demasiado fáciles.
Did you know?
- Even though English speakers often use 'too easy' to mean 'very easy', a Spanish speaker using demasiado fácil could literally be complaining that the task is so easy it has become problematic.
- The Spanish word fácil shares the same ancient roots as the English word 'facile', which often carries a negative connotation of being superficial or lacking depth.
- In Argentina and Uruguay, the prefix re is so common that speakers often double it to recontra for extra emphasis, making a task seem not just easy, but impossibly simple.
Examples in context
- Esto parece demasiado fácil.This seems too easy.This sentence is useful for saying that something seems too easy using demasiado fácil.Tatoeba #2170082 by hayastan, translation #2006407 by Spamster
- Esto es demasiado fácil para él.This is too easy for him.This sentence is useful for saying that something is too easy for someone using demasiado fácil.Tatoeba #1658732 by marcelostockle, translation #55449 by CK
- Lo estás haciendo demasiado fácil.You're making this too easy.Tatoeba #4460188 by cueyayotl, translation #3730190 by CM
- ¡Hacer sopa es pan comido!Making soup is a piece of cake!
- ¡Esta tarea es demasiado fácil para nosotros!This task is too easy for us!
- ¡Re sencillo, ni siquiera tuve que esforzarme!Too easy, I didn't even have to make an effort!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing a new puzzle.
- Alejandro¿Te gusta este rompecabezas, María?Do you like this puzzle, María?
- MaríaNo, es demasiado fácil para mí.No, it is too easy for me.
- AlejandroTienes razón, es muy sencillo.You are right, it is very simple.
- MaríaBusquemos uno más difícil, Alejandro.Let's look for a harder one, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries demasiado, fácil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
