too happy to come back

[Silver]

Hi,

Chen and Tracy are both my friends. We were supposed to get together before the Chinese New Year but we didn't because the time clash. We then planned to meet up after the Chinese New Year. Today I asked them when they would be in town. Chen is in her hometown while Tracy was enjoying her holiday at the seaside. After Chen told me she would come back soon, I asked Tracy, by the way, we three were in the same online chat group so we could see the messages.

Silver: How about you, Tracy? You're too happy to come back.

I wonder if the bold is idiomatic. The intended meaning is "I think the seaside is a good place for you and you almost forget to come back".

Much appreciated!

 

[The Newt]

Maybe "You're having too much fun to want to come back."

 

[Roxxxannne]

Silver: How about you, Tracy? You're too happy to come back.

I wonder if the bold is idiomatic. The intended meaning is "I think the seaside is a good place for you and you almost forget to come back".

Much appreciated!

It doesn't mean that at all to me. To me it's a bit unidiomatic and means "I expect you are having so much fun that you don't want to come back." I see nothing in that sentence about the seaside being a good place for Tracy or Tracy's almost/nearly forgetting to come back.

 

[Cet]

I think it would sound more natural if you added a comment like "I bet."

What about you Tracy? I bet you're too happy there to come back.

 

[dojibear]

Saying this at all sounds odd. Obviously Tracy will come back when her vacation ends, just like Chen when her family visit ends. When you say this, you say that Tracy is considering ending her vacation early (based on how much fun she is having). Is that normal in China? Do people often end a vacation trip early, if it isn't enough fun?

"You are happy to come back." means you want to come back. Wrong meaning.

If you want "happy" to mean "happy being there" say "You are too happy there"

 

[CaptainZero]

How about you, Tracy? You're too happy to come back.

I think this is more or less fine, but it'd be clearer with some extra words added, as suggested in posts #2 and 4 above. I'd probably rephrase it as: "How about you, Tracy? I guess you're too happy there to want to come back."