Italian modifying suffixes (diminutives, ...)
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Lesson Outline
Hide- 1.Modifying suffixes in Italian
- 1.1.Diminutivi (Italian diminutives)
- 1.2.Vezzeggiativi (Italian terms of endearment)
- 1.3.Accrescitivi (Italian augmentatives)
- 1.4.Dispregiativi (Italian pejoratives)
- 2.Combination of suffixes
- 3.Exceptions
- 3.1.False alterates
- 3.2.Changes in gender
- 4.Exercises
- 4.1.Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (diminutives) - Drag text
- 4.2.Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (terms of endearment) - Drag text
- 4.3.Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (augmentatives and pejoratives) - Drag text
- 4.4.Exercise on the use of Italian modifying suffixes (diminutivi, vezzeggiativi, accrescitivi, peggiorativi) - Fill in the blanks
- 4.5.Exercise on false alterates - Single choice set
Modifying suffixes in Italian
In Italian we can use suffixes to add new meanings to the original word.
These constructions are used in informal contexts only.
We can distinguish between four different classes of altered nouns:
- Diminutivi (diminutives)
- Vezzeggiativi (terms of endearment)
- Accrescitivi (augmentatives)
- Dispregiativi (pejoratives)
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Diminutivi (Italian diminutives)
This kind of modification conveys the idea of smallness.
These constructions are pretty common in baby talk.
| Masculin singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ino | -ina | -ini | -ine |
| -etto | -etta | -etti | -ette |
| -ello | -ella | -elli | -elle |
| -icino | -icina | -icini | -icine |
| -olino | -olina | -olini | -oline |
| -icello | -icella | -icelli | -icelle |
| -icciolo | -icciola | -iccioli | -icciole |
| -otto | -otta | -otti | -otte |
- Guarda quella stellina in cielo! (Look at that little star in the sky!)
- Una famosa canzone dice "C'era una casetta piccolina in Canada". (A famous song goes "There was a tiny little house in Canada".)
- Nel presepe c'è un asinello. (There is a little donkey in the Nativity scene.)
- È possibile avere uno sconticino sul prezzo finale? (Is it possible to get a little discount on the final price?)
- Nell'acquario ci sono due pesciolini rossi. (There are two little goldfishes in the acquarium.)
Vezzeggiativi (Italian terms of endearment)
Vezzeggiativi convey the idea of tenderness, sympathy and also smallness.
This kind of altered nouns is typical for baby talk.
| Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| -uccio | -uccia | -ucci | -ucce |
| -uzzo | -uzza | -uzzi | -uzze |
| -olo | -ola | -oli | -ole |
| -cino | -cina | -cini | -cine |
| -acchiotto | -acchiotta | -acchiotti | -acchiotte |
- C'era un lettuccio sulla destra e un armadio sulla sinistra.
(There were a little bed on the right and a closet on the left.) - I miei nonni abitavano nella viuzza che arriva fino in piazza.
(My grandparents lived in the small street that leads to the square.) - Il quokka è una bestiola che vive in Australia occidentale.
(The quokka is a little critter that lives in Western Australia.) - L'orsacchiotto che avevo quando ero piccolo si chiamava Chicco.
(The teddy bear I had when I was a child was called Chicco.) - Marco è molto dolce con la sua ragazza: la chiama sempre "mogliettina" anche se non sono ancora sposati.
(Marco is very sweet towards his girlfriend: he always call her his "wifey" even though they aren't married yet.)
Accrescitivi (Italian augmentatives)
This kind of nouns conveys a sense of bigness in size.
| Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| -one | -ona | -oni | -one |
Quella casona mi mette paura.
(That big house makes me afraid.)Devo studiare questo librone per l'esame!
(I have to study this enormous book for the exam!)La tua è proprio una manona!
(Yours is a really big hand!)
Dispregiativi (Italian pejoratives)
This kind of suffixes expresses a sense of contempt and dislike.
| Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| -accio | -accia | -acci | -acce |
| -astro | -astra | -astri | -astre |
| -ucolo | -ucola | -ucoli | -ucole |
| -iciattolo | -iciattola | -iciattoli | -iciattole |
Depending on the context, the suffix -astro can also lose its negative connotation.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Rosso → Rossastro | Red → Reddish |
| Blu → Bluastro | Blue → Bluish |
| Fratello → Fratellastro | Brother → Step-brother |
| Figlio → Figliastro | Son → Step-son |
- Non vuoi mica indossare quel cappellaccio?
(You aren't going to wear that hideous hat, are you?) - Chi è questo poetastro?
(Who is this miserable poet?) - Credo che sia una ideaccia.
(I think it's a terrible idea.)
Combination of suffixes
Modifying suffixes can be combined to mix different meanings, but only in informal contexts.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Casa → Cas - ett - ina | House → Tiny little house |
| Gonna → Gonn - ell - ina | Skirt → Tiny little skirt |
| Foglio → Fogli - ett - ino | Sheet → Tiny sheet |
Exceptions
False alterates
A lot of words look like alterates, but they are not.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Cartone → not a big Carta (Paper) | Cardboard |
| Tacchino → not a tiny Tacco (High heel) | Turkey |
| Collina → not a tiny Collo (Neck) | Hill |
| Limone → not a big Limo (Mire) | Lemon |
Changes in gender
Other than the meaning, in some cases suffixes can also change the gender of the original word.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La donna → Il donnone | Woman → The big woman |
| La febbre → Il febbrone | Fever → Very high fever |
Exercises
- Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (diminutives) - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (terms of endearment) - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (augmentatives and pejoratives) - Drag text
- Exercise on the use of Italian modifying suffixes (diminutivi, vezzeggiativi, accrescitivi, peggiorativi) - Fill in the blanks
- Exercise on false alterates - Single choice set
Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (diminutives) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (terms of endearment) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian modifying suffixes (augmentatives and pejoratives) - Drag text
Exercise on the use of Italian modifying suffixes (diminutivi, vezzeggiativi, accrescitivi, peggiorativi) - Fill in the blanks
Exercise on false alterates - Single choice set
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I am graduated in Foreign Languages and Litteratures and I have a II Level Master degree in Teaching Italian as Second Language.
I have teached italian to foreign people, above all adults at any age, in several NGOs and social cooperatives in the last 4 years.
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I am a teacher of Italian to Speakers of Other Languages with many years of experience in teaching in public and private schools. I have taught Italian to speakers of other languages in schools, in migratory contexts and in vocational training at all levels (from pre A1 to C2 ). I have gained experience as a teacher with Arabic-speaking, Slavic-speaking, German-speaking, French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, Sinophone, Lusophone and Anglophone students, and have taught literacy courses for asylum seekers and refugees. I did a training internship as a lecturer in Italian at the Department of Romance at the University of Salzburg. I completed my training by teaching Italian to learners with special educational needs. Moreover, I am a CILS, CELI and PLIDA examiner for the speaking part. I also speak German, English and French and I successfully completed my Celta in October 2020.
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