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Diminutives & augmentatives

B1

Diminutives (-ito, -illo) make small or affectionate, augmentatives (-ón, -azo) make big or intense.

Overview

Diminutives (-ito, -illo) make small or affectionate, augmentatives (-ón, -azo) make big or intense.

At a glance
  1. 1.-ito / -ita: small & affectionate
  2. 2.-cito / -cita after -e, -n, -r
  3. 3.Spelling: c→qu, g→gu, z→c
  4. 4.-illo / -illa: often slightly dismissive
  5. 5.-ón / -ona: big & intensifying
  6. 6.-azo: a big blow or hit

Rules

6

1-ito / -ita: small & affectionate

The most common diminutive; replace the final -o/-a with -ito/-ita.

  • Tengo una casita en el campo. — I have a little house in the countryside.casa → casita
  • ¡Qué perrito tan bonito! — What a cute little dog!perro → perrito

2-cito / -cita after -e, -n, -r

Words ending in -e, -n or -r usually take -cito/-cita, not -ito.

  • ¿Quieres un cafecito? — Would you like a little coffee?café → cafecito
  • Espérame un ratito, por favor. — Wait a little while for me, please.rato → ratito (exception)

3Spelling: c→qu, g→gu, z→c

Keep the hard sound: c becomes qu, g becomes gu, z becomes c.

  • El chiquito juega en el parque. — The little one plays in the park.chico → chiquito
  • Comimos un pedacito de pan. — We ate a little piece of bread.pedazo → pedacito

4-illo / -illa: often slightly dismissive

Also a diminutive, but often dismissive or forms fixed words.

  • Es solo un problemilla sin importancia. — It's just a minor, unimportant problem.problema → problemilla
  • Me gusta el bocadillo de jamón. — I like the ham sandwich.fixed word

5-ón / -ona: big & intensifying

Makes bigger or stronger; sometimes the gender changes.

  • Vive en un casón enorme. — He lives in a huge house.casa → casón (m.)
  • ¡Qué cabezón eres! — What a stubborn head you are!cabeza → cabezón

6-azo: a big blow or hit

Often means a forceful blow given with the named thing.

  • Le dio un golpazo a la puerta. — He gave the door a hard blow.golpe → golpazo
  • Recibió un codazo en el partido. — He got an elbow jab in the match.codo → codazo

Test

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