Affective Suffixes
Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 11.3.1
Sufijo afectivo '-ito/-ita' - Affective Suffix
Affective suffix '-ito/-ita'
- Affective suffixes alter (‘affect’) the meaning of the word they are attached to.
- The most common are -ito / ita which turn something from its normal meaning to a smaller version.
Examples
- Mi hermanito pequeño sufre de dolores de cabeza a menudo. ¡Vaya, pobrecito!
- My little brother often suffers from headaches. Really, poor kid!
- Niñito, no has comido mucho, ¿por qué? Mamá, no tengo hambre ahorita.
- Little one, you haven’t eaten much, why? Mum, I’m not hungry right now.
More examples
- Mi suegro vive en un piso muy pequeñito porque tiene una discapacidad.
- My father in law lives in a tiny flat because he has a disability.
- Debes hablar muy bajito porque la niñita está profundamente dormida.
- You must speak really quietly because the little girl is fast asleep.
Test yourself on Affective Suffixes
What happens if we add the suffix '-ito' to a noun in Spanish?