Some words in the Portuguese language are often the target of many doubts and, when we do not know the correct spelling of these terms, we made mistakes that would be easily elucidated if we looked for an answer in the history and semantics of words.
The use of terms too much and too much causes a lot of confusion. Most people don't even know that both forms exist and that both are correct—so long as the prescriptions for their uses are followed. Therefore, we are going to observe the different situations in which the use of these words is indicated, thus avoiding the repetition of our doubts.
Using grammar, we can observe that, despite being similar words, too much and too much have different meanings. We use the words too much and too much in two basic situations. Observe the main rules that differentiate the use of each of them:
→ When the word too much if used with the sense of an adverb, it is expressing an idea of exaggeration, of too much. Look at the examples:
“(...) When you want to see me again
You'll find me refreshed, believe me
Eye to eye I want to see what you do
When I feel that I'm fine without you too much (...)”.
(Eyes to eyes, Chico Buarque)
→ When we want to indicate a notion of quantity, we will not use the word too much, as many mistakenly do, but the adverbial phrase too much, whose opposite is the phrase of less. Match: if it can be replaced by of less, the phrase will be the correct form.
“(...)The sky was once blue, but now it's gray
What was green here no longer exists
I wish I believed
That nothing happens so much playing with fire
let the fire come then
This air made my eyesight tired
Nothing too much.”
(Factory, Urban Legion)
In addition to the two basic situations, there are others that involve the use of the adverb too much and the voiceover too much. Watch:
→ When the word too much is synonymous with the expression other than that:
The girl was sad, too much, she was tired and chose not to go to the party.
↓
(other than that)
→ The word too much can also replace the expression “the others”:
As she did not know the way well, she preferred to follow the too much.
↓
(the others)
Observing the different situations of use of the words that we propose for the study, it is interesting that we make the correct choice, thus respecting the occurrences in which they must be registered. Remembering that, in the oral modality, we do not notice the distinctions analyzed here, but in the written modality the inadequate use of words too much and too much it can cause divergences of meaning, especially for the most attentive readers.
By Luana Castro
Graduated in Letters
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/demais-ou-mais.htm
