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• Suffixes are a small number of letters added to the end of a word which change its meaning.

• Add a suffix to the end of a word to make something smaller or as a term of affection.

• There are suffixes which can change adjectives into adverbs or adjectives into nouns.

A suffix is an ending that can be added to a word to either change its meaning or change the part of speech. For example, adding the suffix 'less' to the word 'care' to make 'careless' changes the original word’s meaning.

Adding the suffix 'ful' to the word 'beauty' to make 'beautiful' changes the original word from a noun to an adjective, changing the part of speech.

Suffixes in Spanish can also change the meaning of a word or the part of speech.

Being able to recognise suffixes helps you to work out what an unfamiliar word means. If you come across a word with an unfamiliar ending, try taking away the suffix and see if you recognise the word.

Suffixes are attached to a noun to make it seem smaller, cuter, or less significant. For example, adding -ito/-ita to gato (cat) changes the meaning to kitten (gatito).

Suffixes are also used when showing love and/or affection. For example, hermano (brother) becomes hermanito (cute little brother) and hermana becomes hermanita (cute little sister).

Top tip

There is no exact equivalent to the suffix ito or ita in English, but it is quite common in Spanish so it is important to recognise it in order to work out meaning.

How to use the suffix ito or ita in Spanish

For nouns that end in o, remove the o and add ito. To then make the new noun plural, add s.

For example:

el librito - the little book

los libritos - the little books

For nouns that end in a remove the a and add ita. To then make the new noun plural, add s.

For example:

la hermanita - the cute little sister

las hermanitas - the cute little sisters

The suffix -������� or -������� can be added to an adjective to make that adjective more intense.

For example:

��á������ (easy) → �ڲ�������í�������� (very easy)

How to use the suffix ������� or ������� in Spanish

For adjectives ending in o, remove the o and add -�������.

For example:

mucho (much) → muchí�������� (a lot of, very much)

For adjectives ending in a consonant, add -�������.

For example:

mal (bad) → malí�������� (very bad)

As with all adjectives, the ending must change to agree with the noun they describe:

For example:

un libro mal������� - a terrible book

la asignatura �������isima - the very easy subject

Explore more about adjectives in Spanish.

Adding a suffix can change a word into a different part of speech.

For example, a suffix can change:

• an adjective into an adverb

• an adjective into a noun

• a verb into an adjective

An English adverb that ends in 'ly' can be formed in Spanish by adding the suffix mente to the end of the adjective.

For example:

normal (normal) → normalmente (normally)

For adjectives that end in an o, take the feminine singular form of the adjective that ends in a and add mente.

For example:

absoluta (absolute) → absolutamente (absolutely)

For adjectives that do not end in o, but end in e or a consonant, add mente to their singular form.

For example:

alegre (happy) → alegremente (happily)

An English noun ending in '(i)ty', for example, the nouns 'city' and 'personality', can be formed in Spanish by adding the suffix idad to adjectives in the singular form.

For singular adjectives ending in a consonant, add the suffix idad.

For example:

real (real) → realidad (reality)

personal (personal) → personalidad (personality)

For singular adjectives ending in a vowel, remove the final vowel and add the suffix idad.

For example:

seguro (secure) → seguridad (security)

An English adjective ending in 'able' can be formed in Spanish by adding the suffix able to a verb stem. To find the verb stem, take off the ar/er/ir infinitive ending.

For example:

evitar (to avoid) → evitable (avoidable)

olvidar (to forget) → olvidable (forgettable)

Practise what you've learned about suffixes in Spanish with this quiz.

Now you have learned about suffixes in Spanish why not explore conjunctions in Spanish?