Italian Modifying Suffixes

(Diminutives, Augmentatives and Pejoratives)

In Italian nouns and adjectives are often modified by suffixes.

The main modifications are:

superlatives

augmentatives: -one,

Es.: libro (book) librone (big book),

Note that a feminine noun with the "one" suffix becomes masculine

Es.: una donna (a woman), un donnone (a big woman)

diminutives: -ino, -ello, -etto

Es.: gatto (cat) gattino (little cat)

Es.: giovane (young) giovinetto (little young man)

If a word ends in -one we need to insert a "c".

Es.: piccione (pigeon) piccioncino (little pigeon)

terms of endearment: -uccio, uzzo

Es.:  cosa (thing) cosuccia (little thing)

pejoratives -accio, -astro, -onzolo, -iciattolo, -ucolo

Es. : ragazzo (boy), ragazzaccio (bad boy); poeta (poet) poetastro (bad poet), mostro (monster) mostriciattolo (little monster); libro (book), librucolo or libercolo (a book without merit).

In general abstract terms are not modified (virtù, bontà, carità, onestà). Here we ha some exceptions:

vizietto (flaw), amoretto, amorino, (flirtation), passioncella, (fancy),  capriccetto, (caprice) viziaccio (bad habit)

The function of these suffixes is to express a subjective feeling . Such changes may relate to the size , or the qualities attributed to someone or something, a demonstration of sympathy , appreciation , affection or contempt. Although many words can be altered , you must be very careful because some expressions have taken a clear precise connotation . The term " little woman " , for example, besides meaning a small woman is used as a euphemism for slut.

Below we give a list of terms that appear modified but instead are terms with entirely different meaning. This page serves as a warning to the students to use the changes with caution after having precisely ascertained the meaning of a term .