SUFFIXES
Note: A suffix is usually added to the full form of a word ending in a cononant or an unaccented vowel. An unaccented vowel is dropped before the suffix is added. Note that sometimes the spelling of a word undergoes a change for pronounciation purposes. In some cases an accent is added for the same reason. Because of this you can not necessarily use this list for forming words, but rather for recognizing words. This is not a complete list of suffixes, but is rather a list of some of the more common ones.
Suffix |
Indicates | |||||
ada |
equates to -ful or denotes a capacity of something |
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| cucharilla | = | teaspoon | una cucharada | = | a teaspoonful | |
| ada, ida + past participle | forms a noun from a verb |
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| salir | = | to exit | salida | = | exit | |
| ir | = | to go | ida | = | departure | |
| llegar | = | to arrive | llegada | = | arrival | |
al, ar |
denotes a grove, field or plantation |
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| naranja | = | orange | naranjal | = | orange grove | |
| café | = | coffee | cafetal | = | coffee plantation | |
| olivo | = | olive | olivar | = | olive grove | |
| cito, cita, ito, ita, | size, affection, admiration, appreciation or pity |
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| Juan | = | John | Juanito | = | Johnny | |
| abuelo | = | grandfather | abuelito | = | dear grandfather | |
| joven | = | young | jovenita | = | young girl | |
| libro | = | book | librito | = | little book | |
| pobre | = | poor | pobrecito | = | poor fellow | |
| mesa | = | table | mesita | = | small table | |
dor, a + verb (subtract final letter) |
indicate the performer of an action |
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| bailar | = | to dance | bailador | = | dancer | |
| cantar | = | to sing | cantador | = | singer | |
| ganar | = | to win | ganador | = | winner | |
| trabajar | = | to work | trabajador | = | worker | |
| dizo (added to some adjectives) | describes what someone or something is like | |||||
| enojado | = | angry, cross | enojadizo | = | irritable, easily annoyed | |
| eda, edo | denotes a place where things grow | |||||
| árbol | = | tree | arboleda | = | grove | |
| álamo | = | poplar tree | alameda | = | grove of poplar trees | |
| eño | denotes a likeness | |||||
| águila | = | eagle | aguileño | = | aquiline (eagle-like) | |
| risa | = | smile | risueño | = | smiling | |
| ería | indicates the place where the article is made or sold |
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| fruta | = | fruit | frutería | = | fruit store | |
| joya | = | jewlry | joyería | = | jewlry store | |
| leche | = | milk | lechería | = | dairy or milk store | |
| libro | = | book | librería | = | book store | |
| zapato | = | shoe | zapatería | = | shoe store | |
ero, era |
the maker, dealer or one in charge of something | |||||
| el jardín | = | garden | jardinero |
= | gardener | |
| el pastel | = | bakery | pastelero | = | baker | |
| el rancho | = | ranch | ranchero | = | rancher | |
| el zapato | = | shoe | zapetero | = | shoemaker | |
ero, era |
the container of an article | |||||
| azúcar | = | sugar | azúcaro | = | sugar bowl | |
| leche | = | milk | lechera | = | milk pitcher | |
| sopa | = | soup | sopera | = | soup tureen | |
| té | = | tea | tetera | = | teapot | |
| lápiz | = | pencil | lapicero | = | pencil box | |
ez, eza, ura + adjective |
forms an abstract noun |
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| grande | = | great | grandeza | = | greatness | |
| limpio | = | clean | limpieza | = | cleanliness | |
| viejo | = | old | vejez | = | old age | |
| niño | = | child | niñez | = | childhood | |
| ancho | = | wide | anchura | = | width | |
| triste | = | sad | tristeza | = | sadness | |
| bravo | = | brave | bravura | = | bravery | |
| ía, ia | refers to one of the humanities or sciences | |||||
| geografía | = | geography | ||||
| biología | = | biology | ||||
| historía | = | history | ||||
| Note: You can form the professional name by dropping the ía, or ia and adding "o" or "a". | ||||||
| biología | = | biology | biológo | = | biologist | |
| fotografía | = | photography | fotógrafo | = | photographer | |
| filosofía | = | philosophy | filósofo | = | philosopher | |
Note the addition of an accent on the second syllable |
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| iento | tells of a characteristic or to be like the root word | |||||
| ceniza | = | ash | ceniciento | = | ashen | |
| hambre | = | hungry | hambriento | = | starving | |
| ísimo | ending for a superlative | |||||
| mucho | = | much | muchísimo | = | very much | |
| hermoso | = | beautiful | hermosísimo | = | exceeding beautiful | |
| izo | means somewhat like the root word | |||||
| rojo | = | red | rojizo | = | reddish | |
| enfermo | = | sick | enfermizo | = | sickly | |
mento, miento + verb |
forms an abstract noun |
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| conocer | = | to know | conocimiento | = | knowledge | |
| sentir | = | to feel | sentiemiento | = | feeling | |
o + name of a fruit |
type of tree |
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| manzana | = | apple | manzano | = | apple tree | |
| naranja | = | orange | naranjo | = | orange tree | |
| cereza | = | cherry | cerezo | = | cherry tree | |