Explanation
Augmentative suffixes are added to Spanish nouns to indicate increased size or intensity. Let’s take a look at the most common augmentative suffixes in Spanish!
Augmentative Suffixes
Here are the three most common augmentative suffixes in Spanish. Note that the table shows both the masculine and feminine forms of these common suffixes.
| Suffix | Use |
|---|---|
| -azo/-aza | Used to describe an increase in size, quality, or intensity. |
| -ote/-ota | Used to describe large size in a positive or negative manner. |
| -ón/-ona | Used to describe an increase in the size of physical characteristics. Also used to emphasize the importance or greatness of a noun or to speak negatively about someone. |
To use these suffixes, drop the final vowel and add the suffix, or if the last letter is a consonant, attach the suffix to the end.
Here are some examples of sentences that include words with different augmentative suffixes.
| examples |
|---|
The suffix -azo can be used to describe a blow to a particular part of the body or the part of the body that was used to give the blow.
Pejorative Suffixes
Pejorative suffixes are used to refer to a noun in an undesirable or offensive way. Some of the suffixes discussed previously in this article, such as in -ote and -ón, can be used pejoratively, as can those shown in the following table.
The English translation of a Spanish noun used with a pejorative suffix can vary according to the context in which it's used.
Examples of Spanish Words with Augmentative Suffixes
Let's take a look at some more words with augmentative suffixes in Spanish!
Want to learn more about Spanish pronunciation and other relevant grammar topics? Check out the following articles!
• Spanish Prefixes and Suffixes
• Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation
• How to Pronounce the Letter "I" in Spanish
• How to Pronounce the Letter "A" in Spanish
• How to Pronounce the Letter "E" in Spanish
