Ch 40 路 Lesson 8Spanish 路 Chapter 40 路 Lesson 8 路 Grammar primer
Diminutives: casita, un momentito, un poquito
-ito makes a word small but mostly warm or polite ( momentito, ), and the end of the word decides -ito, -cito or -ecito (, cochecito, florecita).
The short version
A diminutive is about warmth, not size
momentito
Why?Hide
momentito is not a shorter moment than , it is a friendlier way of asking someone to wait. is a house spoken of fondly, is granny with affection, hedges a quantity. Textbooks sell -ito as shrinking; in real Spanish it is mostly softening and endearment.
The last letter decides -ito, -cito or -ecito
Why?Hide
A word in -o or -a swaps its vowel: , . A word in -e, -n or -r usually takes -cito: , cochecito. Many one-syllable words take -ecito: , florecita. Spelling shifts to keep the sound: , .
-ito makes a word small, but more often warm or polite. -贸n and -azo make it big, and -azo can also be a blow:
momentito.- Just a moment.portazo.- He/She slammed the door.
Diminutives and augmentatives at a glance
The whole page on one screen:
| Suffix | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| -ito, -ita | | a little house; a dear house |
| -cito | cochecito | a little car; a pram |
| -illo, -illa | | a ticket window, a car window |
| -贸n, -ona | hombr贸n | a big, burly man |
| -azo | exitazo | a smash hit |
| -azo (blow) | codazo | a jab with the elbow |
| -ote, -ota | | great big |
| -ucho, -ucha | casucha | a hovel |
- perrazo
Un perrito (a little dog, or a dear one), un perro (a dog) and un perrazo (a great big dog).
Diminutives: small, but mostly warm
The textbook job of -ito is to shrink. Its everyday job is to soften and endear:
| Base | Diminutive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| | a little house, a cosy one |
| | a little dog, a puppy |
| momentito | just a moment (polite) |
| | granny (fond) |
| | a little bit |
| ahorita | right now, or in a bit |
| | nice and slowly |
| cerquita | nice and close |
momentito is not a shorter moment. It is the same moment, asked for more gently:
驴 momentito?- Could you wait just a moment?
The ending also goes on adjectives and adverbs, as and cerquita show:
cerquita.- The house is really close.
Which ending: -ito, -cito or -ecito
The end of the word decides:
| Word ends in | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -o, -a | swap: -ito | |
| -e, -n, -r | -cito | cochecito |
| -e, -n, -r | -cito | amorcito |
| one syllable | -ecito | florecita |
| one syllable | -ecito | panecito |
Spelling changes keep the sound of the last consonant:
from, andamiguitofrom.tacitafrom: z becomes c before i.
Regions vary: Spain says panecillo for a bread roll, much of Latin America panecito. Both are understood everywhere.
Going further: Augmentatives: -贸n, -azo, -ote and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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