B1 · Nouns and articles
Making words smaller and bigger
-ito rarely means «small» and almost always says something about tone.
The ending -ito makes a word smaller — and usually something else entirely: friendlier, more familiar, gentler. Un momentito is not a shorter moment but a politer one. Un cafecito is not a small coffee but a companionable one. English has almost nothing like this, which is why it has to be learnt as a device rather than as a translation.
It is formed with -ito/-ita, and after n, r and e with -cito: cochecito, mujercita. After a one-syllable base it is -ecito: panecito, florecita.
Its counterpart -ón enlarges and often disparages: un cucharón is a ladle, un solterón an old bachelor. And -azo names a blow: un codazo is a jab with the elbow.
Die Form
| small | casa → casita |
| after n, r, e | coche → cochecito |
| one syllable | pan → panecito |
| big | silla → sillón |
| a blow | puerta → portazo |
| disparaging | libro → libraco |
Die Regeln im Einzelnen
-ito makes things smaller and the tone friendlier.
Espera un momentito.Wait just a moment.
After n, r and e it is -cito.
Nos tomamos un cafecito.We are having a nice little coffee.
-ón enlarges, often with an undertone.
Se sentó en el sillón.He sat down in the armchair.
-azo names a blow or a knock.
Cerró la puerta de un portazo.He slammed the door.
Woran man es erkennt
- -ito
- -ita
- -cito
- -ón
- -azo
Beispielsätze
¿Me das un poquito?Could you give me a little?
Vive en una casita en el campo.She lives in a little house in the country.
Hace un poquito de frío.It is a bit cold.
Le dio un golpazo al coche.He gave the car quite a knock.
Noch 6 Beispielsätze
Dame un besito.Give me a little kiss.
Es un problemita, nada más.It is a minor problem, nothing more.
Compró un cochecito de segunda mano.He bought a small second-hand car.
Le pegó un codazo sin querer.He elbowed him by accident.
Está a un pasito de aquí.It is a stone's throw from here.
Se comió un bocadillo de jamón.He ate a ham roll.
Die typisch deutsche Falle
Aufgepasst
The ending gets read literally as «small»: un momentito as «a small moment». What is meant is a politer «just a second». The other way round, the plain form can come across as blunter than intended — ahora against ahorita.
The diminutive says more about tone than about size.
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