Expressing quantity in Spanish is actually very simple. In general, we use quantity adjectives in any situation to describe “the amount of something”.
Yet, it can become a bit tricky if we use words with several meanings like “suficiente”. It’s the Spanish equivalent of the English word “enough” but sometimes it also replaces sufficient.
“Suficiente” is a great Spanish word that may be helpful in different scenarios. For that reason, since we want you to be outstanding, we will show you how to use it properly.
After you complete reading this article, you will know how useful and how easy is to use the Spanish word “suficiente”.
How to use “suficiente”
The main purpose of the Spanish word “suficiente” is to describe quantities.
We use it with uncountable nouns. It’s an adjective and, despite most Spanish adjectives changing their endings depending on the noun’s gender is common, with “suficiente” we don’t have to.
The plural form of “suficiente” is “suficientes” and, of course, we use it with plural nouns.
Usually, we place “suficiente” between a verb and a noun to express “the right amount”.
Let’s see a few examples:
Necesito suficientes fresas para hacer una torta grande.
I need enough strawberries to make a large cake.
Hay suficiente agua en el tanque.
There is enough water in the tank.
Con la evidencia que tiene, es suficiente para una apelación.
With the evidence you have, it’s enough for an appeal.
We typically use the structure (“suficiente” + “para”) as an equivalent of “enough to”.
It helps us express that we have or have done “enough” to achieve something or do an activity. Often, the verb that follows the structure “suficiente para” is conjugated in the infinitive form.
Let’s see other examples:
No tiene suficiente dinero para comprar una casa.
You don’t have enough money to buy a house.
Debes ingerir suficientes calorías para aumentar tu masa muscular.
You must eat enough calories to increase your muscle mass.
Una “A” es suficiente para pasar la materia.
An “A” is enough to pass the subject.
Tres días son suficientes para tomar unas vacaciones cortas.
Three days are enough to take a short vacation.
Another use of “suficiente” is in a figurative way. You can say that someone is a conceited person just by saying “se cree suficiente para hacerlo solo/a”= (He/She thinks he/she is enough to do it alone).
Also, if we want to describe the way someone’s speaking you can say “usaban un tono suficiente”. In that context, we are expressing that they are using a presumptuous speaking tone.
In Spanish, “suficiente” can also be an equivalent to “¡basta!”. In this scenario, we use it to say that we or someone else have to stop doing something.
Here are some examples:
Niños, suficiente juego por el día de hoy.
Kids, enough game for today.
¡Suficiente! Dejen de hablar, estamos en una biblioteca.
Enough! Stop talking, we’re in a library.
Please note that if we use exclamation marks, “suficiente” plays the role of a Spanish interjection.
If you want to say that someone has “what it takes” to do something, you can also use “suficiente”. We can even use it in a professional context.
Please see the example below:
Sus habilidades son suficientes para el puesto.
His skills are sufficient for the position.
Él es suficiente para terminar la tarea antes del viernes.
He is enough to finish the task before Friday.
In some Spanish-speaking countries, people use “suficiente” in School grading. So, you may hear that you got a “suficiente” on a test.
Yet, this isn’t a good or bad grade, just that you know enough to pass an exam or subject. In schools where grading goes from 1 to 20, and you need 10 to pass, it would mean you got a ten.
Let’s see the examples below:
Sacaste tres notables y un suficiente este trimestre, nada mal.
You got three B’s and a fair this quarter, not bad.
Verb + “suficiente”
We use the structure (verb + “suficiente”) to express that we do something “enough”, frequently enough, or with enough intensity. Usually, we use this structure with “para” to indicate the action’s purpose.
Let’s look at the following example:
¿Corres suficiente para llegar de primero?
Do you run enough to finish first?
Ejercítate suficiente para mantener una vida saludable.
Get enough exercise to maintain a healthy life.
Hablamos suficiente para entendernos.
We talk enough to understand each other.
Suficientemente
You probably have seen other “-mente” words in Spanish. After all, they are very common and we use them as adverbials.
Building “-mente” words isn’t difficult, we just add the suffix “-mente” right after the main word. Since they all are adverbials, their main role is to modify verbs in a sentence.
Nonetheless, we generally use “suficientemente” together with adjectives to describe people’s moods and qualities to an “enough” degree.
Let’s see get a better picture by looking at the examples below:
María es suficientemente rápida como para ganar la carrera.
María is fast enough to win the race.
Pedro y yo estamos lo suficientemente cansados como para no salir hoy en la noche.
Pedro and I are tired enough not to go out tonight.
Andrés está suficientemente despierto.
Andrés is awake enough.
As you may notice, we can also use the structure (“suficientemente” + adjective) with the prepositions “como para”. This combination helps us describe that we or someone else has the right skills/qualities to leave a task done or undone.
Of course, the meaning of the sentence will depend on the use of a positive or a negative adjective. The verb that follows the structure (“suficientemente” + adjective + “como para”) is always conjugated in the infinitive form.
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Spanish versatile words
Generally speaking, “suficiente” is an adjective that helps use express uncountable quantities in Spanish. We can use it with verbs, nouns, or other adjectives.
If we want to make it an adverbial, we just have to add the “-mente” ending, and the job will be done.
Keep in mind that “suficientemente” is a mood adverbial that we often use with adjectives as well as the prepositions “como para”.
If you want to use “suficiente” as an interjection, don’t forget to add exclamation marks.