Suficiente vs Bastante

Question

Is "suficiente" known more for "enough of" just like adequate and is bastante more known for "plenty" like enough, but more than just enough? I saw a native say suficiente go on about how they use suficiente=enough and bastante=plenty. I believe you can use suficiente before and after the noun, although with bastante is it only before the noun?

Accepted Answer

Hola Kieran B.
In Spanish, “suficiente” and “bastante” both mean “enough”, but they differ slightly in degree and usage.
1. "Suficiente" (Enough, Adequate): It indicates having the exact amount needed or something adequate — not too much, not too little. "Suficiente" can be placed before or after the noun, with similar meaning, though placing it after can add emphasis.
For example:

Tienes suficiente comida para el viaje. (You have enough food for the trip.)
Tienes comida suficiente para el viaje. (Same meaning, but with a slight emphasis on “enough.”)

2. "Bastante" (Enough, Plenty, Quite a Lot): It suggests having more than enough or a generous amount. It is usually placed before the noun when modifying it. It can also be used as an adverb to intensify adjectives or verbs.
For example:

Tienes bastante comida para el viaje. (You have plenty of food for the trip.)
Estás bastante cansado. (You are quite tired.)
Comimos bastante. (We ate a lot.)

I hope this explanation has been useful to you.
Buen finde
Silvia