Suffixes for Italian nouns (including proper names) and adjectives can take on various shades of meaning by adding different suffixes. This How-To will help you expand your vocabulary and creatively describe nouns and adjectives.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 60 minutes
Here's How:
- To indicate smallness or express affection or endearment, add the common suffixes such as -ino/a/i/e, -etto/a/i/e, -ello/a/i/e, and -uccio, -uccia, -ucci, -ucce.
- Adding the above endings, Maria (Mary) becomes Mariuccia (little Mary), and case (houses) becomes casette (little houses).
- To denote largeness add -one/-ona (singular) and -oni/-one (plural). Libro (book) becomes librone (big book), and lettera (letter) becomes letterona (long letter).
- To convey the idea of a bad or ugly quality, add the suffixes -accio, -accia, -acci, and -acce. Parola (word) becomes parolaccia (dirty word).
Tips:
- When a suffix is added, the final vowel of the word is dropped.
- Since it is very difficult to know which suffix(es) a noun may take, it is advisable to use only forms that you have read in Italian books or heard used by native speakers.
- Many feminine nouns become masculine when the suffix -one is added: la palla (ball) becomes il pallone (soccer ball), and la porta (door) becomes il portone (street door).
