25 ITO ITA endings: The diminutive

You’ll see words ending in ito (masculine) or ita (feminine). Those endings mean that the item is small. However, there’s a metaphor to that “small” meaning, and implies some relationship of affection towards the item. In terms of family members, you’ll see diminutives stated to imply affection towards such family member:

• Mamá=mom, mamita=mommy
• Papá=dad, papito=daddy
• Abuelo=grandfather, abuelito=granpa
• Abuela=grandmother, abuelita=grandma

Referring to sibblings, it may imply affection or the fact that such sibbiling is younger:

• Hermano=brother, hermanito=younger brother
• Hermana=sister, hermanita=younger sister

En la canción by Petrona Martínez you’ll notice diminutives to state the names of animals:

• Gallo=rooster, gallito=(beloved) rooster
• Perro=dog, perrito=doggy
• Gato=cat, gatico=kitty

In Caribbean Spanish, when the sillable ends in TO or TA the diminutive changes to ICO or ICA.

• Rato=moment, ratico=short moment
• Foto=picture, fotico=little moment
• Corto=short, cortico=shorter
• Momento=moment, momentico=short moment
• Roto=hole, tear, rotico=small tear
• Aguardiente=ardent water, aguardientico=Delicious ardent water

With ICO or ICA, you can even make a diminutive out of a diminutive:

• Ahora=now, ahorita=in a moment, ahoritica=in a little moment
• Chico=small, chiquito=very small, chiquitico=really tiny

If the word doesn’t end in a vowel O or A, you’ll see the diminutive made out of CITO or CITA:

• Pobre=poor, pobrecito=poor little guy
• Baile=dancing, bailecito=silly dancing
• Tren=train, trencito=little train
• Amor=love, amorcito=little beloved person, darling
• Ramón (proper name), Ramoncito (nickname for people named Ramón)

Conversely, there’s the opposite to the diminutive and it’s called the augmentative. En la canción, la palabra “gaita” (folkish cumbia pipe) is turned into “gaitón”=big gaita. However, you can add the suffix OTE or OTA also to make it big:

• Gallo=gallote (big rooster)
• Perro=perrote (big dog), perrota (big female dog)
• Gato=gatote (big cat), gatota (big female cat)

It’s also used to enhance the quality of the thing mentioned:

• Papa (dad), papasote=handsome guy (no dad)
• Mamá (mom), mamasota=pretty woman (no mom)
• Piernas (legs), piernotas=beautiful legs

You can read in Spanish a couple of blog entries about the diminutive:

https://bloglenguaencolombia.blogspot.com/2018/11/diminutivo.html

https://bloglenguaencolombia.blogspot.com/2021/10/osquitar-varguitas.html

https://bloglenguaencolombia.blogspot.com/2023/07/bajito-bajita-viejito-vieja.html

Sample conversation:

Family member with diminutive

Describe younger siblings or family members who are still children by using diminutives. Describe “abuelo” or “abuela” using diminutives too. Discuss your pets if any.

A: ¿Cómo es tu ___________. Add: abuelito OR abuelita (means you have a close connection with them), OR hermanito OR hermanita (means they are younger or are  children).

B: Él OR ella es _____________, ___________ y _____________ (add adjectives).

A: ¿Cómo se llama tu ____________ (add family member in the diminutive)?

B: Mi ____________ (repeat family member in the diminutive) se llama ______________ (add name).

A: ¿Tienes mascota (=pet)?

B: Sí, tengo un ____________ (add: perrito, perrita, gatito OR gatita).

A: ¿Cómo es?

B: És _____________, ___________ y _____________ (add adjectives).

A: ¿Cómo se llama tu ____________ (add pet in the diminutive)?

B: Mi ____________ (repeat pet in the diminutive) se llama ______________ (add name).