suficiente

/soo-fee-SYEN-teh/

enough

A simple wooden crate filled perfectly level with bright red apples, symbolizing the necessary quantity required for a task.

When used as an adjective, suficiente describes a quantity that is exactly 'enough,' like having sufficient apples for a recipe.

suficiente(Adjective)

enough

to describe a quantity

Also:

sufficient

a more formal equivalent

📝 In Action

¿Tienes suficiente dinero para el viaje?

Do you have enough money for the trip?

No hay sillas suficientes para todos los invitados.

There aren't enough chairs for all the guests.

Con una explicación suficiente, creo que lo entenderán.

With a sufficient explanation, I think they will understand.

Word Connections

Synonyms

bastante (enough, quite a lot)
lo necesario (what's necessary)

Antonyms

insuficiente (insufficient)
escaso (scarce, lacking)

Common Collocations

tiempo suficiente – enough time
comida suficiente – enough food
más que suficiente – more than enough

💡 Grammar Points

Placement is Flexible

You can place suficiente before OR after the thing it describes. Both suficiente tiempo and tiempo suficiente mean 'enough time'.

Making it Plural

If you're talking about multiple things, suficiente needs to become plural too. Just add an 's' to make it suficientes. Example: razones suficientes (enough reasons).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Plural 's'

Mistake: "Tenemos idea suficientes para el proyecto."

Correction: Tenemos ideas suficientes para el proyecto. (Because 'ideas' is plural, 'suficientes' must match it.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Saying 'Enough of Something'

To express you've had 'enough of' something (like an activity or a situation), use the phrase suficiente de. For example: ¡He tenido suficiente de tus quejas! (I've had enough of your complaints!)

A cartoon character holding a pitcher, pouring bright blue liquid into a clear glass until the liquid reaches the absolute top rim, indicating a stopping point.

As a pronoun or adverb, suficiente is often used alone to mean 'enough,' signaling that a task or quantity has reached a satisfactory limit (e.g., 'That's enough!').

suficiente(Adverb / Pronoun)

enough

used alone or to modify a description

Also:

sufficiently

a more formal way to say 'enough' before a description

📝 In Action

—¿Quieres más pastel? —No, gracias, es suficiente.

—Do you want more cake? —No, thanks, that's enough.

El apartamento es bueno, pero no es lo suficientemente grande para nuestra familia.

The apartment is good, but it's not big enough for our family.

¡Silencio! Ya es suficiente.

Quiet! That's enough now.

Word Connections

Synonyms

bastante (enough, quite)

Common Collocations

ser suficiente – to be enough
lo suficientemente bueno – good enough
lo suficientemente rápido – fast enough

💡 Grammar Points

The 'lo suficientemente' Pattern

To say something is '[adjective] enough' (like 'strong enough'), Spanish uses a special pattern: lo suficientemente + [adjective]. For example: Él es lo suficientemente fuerte.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Wrong Word Order

Mistake: "Mi café no está caliente suficiente."

Correction: Mi café no está lo suficientemente caliente. (Remember to use the `lo suficientemente` structure before the descriptive word.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Using it By Itself

Suficiente can be a complete answer. If someone asks if you have everything you need, you can simply reply, Sí, es suficiente. (Yes, it's enough).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: suficiente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly says 'The explanation was not clear enough'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

suficientemente(sufficiently, enough) - adverb

insuficiente(insufficient, not enough) - adjective

insuficiencia(insufficiency, shortage) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between `suficiente` and `bastante`?

They are very similar and often mean 'enough.' However, `bastante` can also mean 'quite a lot' or 'plenty,' suggesting a generous amount. `Suficiente` usually means the exact amount needed—not too much, not too little.

Do I always need `lo` in `lo suficientemente`?

Yes. When you are describing a quality (like 'big enough' or 'fast enough'), the `lo` is a required part of the structure. Think of 'lo suficientemente' as a single block that means 'enough' when describing something.