1. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-1 Suffixes Limportante è che lei non mi canti più quelle canzonacce napoletane, perche io veramente non le sopporto.

2. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-2 Suffixes (i suffissi) are added to many Italian nouns and adjectives to denote affection, size, poor quality, ugliness, or other traits. As in English, adding a suffix can reflect the speakers feelings about a particular noun or the adjective used to describe it. For example, the two words, dog, cane, and doggie, cagnolino, demonstrate a difference that reflects the speakers perception (a doggie is cuter or more dear to the speaker than a dog). Suffixes

3. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-3 ATTENZIONE! Be very careful when using suffixes and try to use only those you have learned from native speakers or teachers. Adding them to words you are not sure of can lead to misunderstandings or even trouble if you are not absolutely certain of the meaning of the word that you have coined! For example, cagnolino means doggie but canino means canine tooth, and un mulo, a mule, is not related to un mulino, a mill. Suffixes

4. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-4 Italian is very rich in its choice and variety of suffixes. English tends to rely on adjectives to convey shades of meaning. An Italian might say «Che ragazzaccio!» whereas an English speaker would probably sayWhat a naughty boy! Suffixes

5. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-5 Suffixes Some suffixes are associated with diminutives (smallness, cuteness, affection). -ino/a/i/e -etto/a/i/e -ello/a/i/e -olo/a/i/e -uccio/a/i/e -uzzo/a/i/e un tavolo un pezzo una fontana un figlio una femmina una va un tavolino un pezzetto una fontanella un figliolo una femminuccia una vizza a small table a little piece a little fountain a little son, a little boy a baby girl a little street

6. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-6 ATTENZIONE! Note that more than one suffix can be added to the same noun. For example, una casa una cas-ett-ina. Suffixes

7. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-7 Some suffixes indicate exaggeration or large size. -one/a/i/eun naso una minestra un nasone un minestrone a big nose; big-nosed person a big, hearty soup Suffixes

8. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-8 Some suffixes are pejorative, denoting ugliness, poor quality, or nastiness. -accio/a/i/e -astro/a/i/e -uccio/a/i/e una parola un poeta una casa una parolaccia un poetastro una casuccia a swear word a really bad poet a small, unassuming house Suffixes

9. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-9 ATTENZIONE! Sometimes a noun changes gender when a suffix is added. For example, una cucina, a kitchen, becomes un cucinino, a kitchenette; una finestra, a window, becomes un finestrino, a car window and una minestra, broth, becomes un minestrone, a hearty soup. Suffixes

10. 6.4 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc. 6.4-10 Some suffixes may also be added to adjectives and adverbs. pigro pigronebello bellinobene benino Suffixes