bastar
“bastar” means “to be enough” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to be enough
Also: to suffice
📝 In Action
Dos raciones de pizza bastan para los niños.
A2Two slices of pizza are enough for the kids.
Me basta con tu palabra.
B1Your word is enough for me.
No basta con querer el cambio; hay que actuar.
B2It isn't enough to want change; you have to act.
Stop it!, Enough!
📝 In Action
¡Basta! No quiero oír más excusas.
A1Enough! I don't want to hear any more excuses.
¡Basta ya de tanto ruido!
A2Stop all that noise already!
Dijo 'basta' y se fue de la reunión.
B1He said 'enough' and left the meeting.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bastar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'It's enough just to call him'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Vulgar Latin 'bastare', which came from a Greek word meaning 'to carry' or 'to support.' It evolved to mean 'to hold up' or 'to be sufficient'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'basta' and 'bastante'?
'Basta' is a verb form (it is enough / stop), while 'bastante' is an adjective or adverb (enough / plenty / quite).
Can I use 'bastar' for people?
Yes, but usually in the sense of 'being sufficient for a task.' For example: 'Él basta para este trabajo' (He is enough/sufficient for this job).
Is 'bastar' irregular?
No, it follows the perfectly regular pattern for all '-ar' verbs in Spanish.