Spanish Augmentative and Diminutive Terminations  


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Spanish Augmentative and Diminutive Terminations
Examples in English:
  • Ball, balloon
  • Book, booklet
  • Lad, laddie
  • Man, manikin

These terminations are frequent in Spanish, especially the diminutive.

On (m.), ona (f.)[1] denote augmentation, as:

  • Libro, book
  • Librón, large book
Footnote 1: Feminine nouns, however, generally take on and become masculine, as:
  • Un mujerón: A tall woman

Except when ambiguity might arise, as:

  • Un muchachón: A tall or big boy Una muchachona: A tall or big girl.

ito (m.), ita (f.), ico (m.), ica (f.)

Denote diminution (to which an idea of endearment is always attached which is natural in Spanish when speaking of little objects in the ordinary way.)

If for any reason disparagement or insignificance is suggested then illo, illa, uelo, uela, are used instead.

Other terminations less used are azo, acho, onazo, achón, ote, astro, aco, and a few others (augmentative, suggesting (generally) disparagement); ete, in, ino, itito, itico, itillo, and a few others (diminutive). If a noun ends in a vowel, this is elided[2] before adding the termination.

Footnote 2: If a noun ends in "n" (except proper names like "Juan") or r, ito, ico, illo, uelo, change into cito, cico, cillo, zuelo. If a noun of one syllable ends in a consonant, or a noun of two syllables ends in "e" or "ío," or contains a diphthong, ito, ico, etc., change into ecito, ecico, etc. If a noun of one syllable ends in a vowel, ito, ico, etc., become ececito, ececico, etc. Other slight changes occur also.
The Augmentative and Diminutive terminations have no determinate meaning: they are vague and indefinite and consequently when preciseness is required we must use the adjectives "grande," "pequeño," etc. (which can be employed conjointly with the terminations), as:
  • Me dió dos librones gruesos y tres libritos delgados: He gave me two heavy big books and three small ones.

Students should use the terminations "on" and "ito" but no others until they become familiar with them with reading, as they cannot be used indiscriminately with all nouns.

The termination "azo" serves also to indicate an injury or explosion from a weapon, as:

  • Un sablazo (a sabre-cut)
  • Un puñetazo (a blow with the fist)
  • Un navajazo (a stab with a knife)
  • Un cañonazo (a cannon-shot)

With some weapons some other terminations are used:

  • Una cuchillada (same as navajazo)
  • Una paliza (a thrashing with a stick)

Traer - to bring

Pres. Part. Trayendo ("i" unstressed between two vowels always changes into "y")
Pres. Indic. Traigo
Past Def. Traje, trajiste, trajo, trajimos, trajisteis, trajeron



Popular Phrase: las ciencias
Conjugated Verb: facultar - authorize, empower [ click for full conjugation ]