hablas demasiado
/ablas demasjado/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "you talk too much" is hablas demasiado.
This phrase is used to tell someone that they are speaking more than is necessary or desired. While you might say someone "talks a lot" (hablas mucho) to describe a frequent speaker, hablas demasiado carries a negative connotation of excess or being annoying.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the verb hablar (to speak/talk) in the second-person singular present tense, and the adverb demasiado (too much/excessively).
Which one should you use?
Hablas demasiado implies an annoying level of excess, whereas hablas mucho simply means "you talk a lot."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression No dejas de hablar ni para respirar can sometimes be replaced with No paras de hablar ni un momento to convey the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address someone formally (usted), change the verb from hablas to habla to get habla demasiado.
Did you know?
- In colloquial Spanish, you can tell someone they talk too much by saying hablas por los codos, which literally means 'you talk through your elbows'.
- A person who speaks excessively can be described as having verborrea, a term derived from the medical condition 'logorrhea'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, telling someone hablas demasiado is much more confrontational than in English. Because Spanish often uses more indirect or polite ways to soften criticism, this direct phrase can feel like a blunt social attack.
Examples in context
- Hablas demasiado dijo él."You talk too much," he said.This is used to report what someone said.Tatoeba #2162944 by Shishir, translation #240573 by Zifre
- El problema que tienes es que hablas demasiado.The trouble with you is that you talk too much.This sentence describes a specific problem a person has.Tatoeba #1360775 by Shishir, translation #17148 by Zifre
- Hablas demasiado.You talk too much.This is a direct statement of the phrase.Tatoeba #726549 by Fanki, translation #240572 by CK
- Usted habla demasiado, podríamos beneficiarnos si brindara espacio a otras perspectivas.You talk too much, we could benefit from giving space to other perspectives.
- Oye, cálmate un poco con tanto hablar, quiero escuchar también.Hey, calm down a bit with all this talking, I want to listen too.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are arguing during a movie.
- Javier¡Cállate ya, que hablas demasiado!Shut up already, you talk too much!
- LucíaSolo estoy explicando la trama, Javier.I'm just explaining the plot, Javier.
- JavierNo importa, hablas demasiado y no escucho nada.It doesn't matter, you talk too much and I can't hear anything.
- LucíaEstá bien, guardaré silencio.Fine, I will be quiet.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
