bastante
“bastante” means “quite” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
quite, rather
Also: enough, a lot
📝 In Action
La película es bastante buena.
A2The movie is quite good.
Llegaste bastante tarde.
A2You arrived quite late.
Hemos trabajado bastante hoy.
B1We've worked a lot today.
enough
Also: plenty of, a lot of
📝 In Action
Tengo bastante tarea.
A2I have enough homework.
Hay bastantes sillas para todos.
A2There are enough chairs for everyone.
Ella conoce a bastantes personas famosas.
B1She knows plenty of famous people.
enough
Also: plenty
📝 In Action
—¿Quieres más pastel? —No, gracias, ya comí bastante.
B1—Do you want more cake? —No, thanks, I already ate enough.
—¿Necesitas ayuda? —No te preocupes, con esto tengo bastante.
B1—Do you need help? —Don't worry, I have enough with this.
De los libros que me diste, ya leí bastantes.
B2Of the books you gave me, I've already read plenty.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bastante
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the verb 'bastar', which means 'to be enough' or 'to suffice'. This verb itself comes from the Vulgar Latin word '*bastāre*', with the same meaning. So, 'bastante' literally means 'sufficing' or 'being enough'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'bastante' and 'suficiente'?
They are very similar and often interchangeable! 'Suficiente' strictly means 'enough' (not too much, not too little). 'Bastante' can mean 'enough', but it can also lean towards meaning 'plenty' or 'a lot'. For example, 'Tengo bastante dinero' could mean 'I have enough money' or 'I have quite a lot of money'. 'Tengo suficiente dinero' specifically means 'I have the required amount'.
When do I add an '-s' to make it 'bastantes'?
You only add an '-s' when 'bastante' is describing a plural noun (more than one thing). For example: 'bastantes libros' (plenty of books) or 'bastantes personas' (a lot of people). If it's describing a singular noun ('bastante tiempo') or an action/adjective ('corres bastante rápido'), it always stays as 'bastante'.
Can 'bastante' mean 'too much'?
Not usually. For 'too much', the best word is 'demasiado'. 'Bastante' means 'enough' or 'quite a lot', but it doesn't typically have the negative feeling of 'too much' that 'demasiado' has.