Augmentatives
Augmentatives show that something is unusually large, intense, or significant, and they often carry vivid sensory or emotional force. They shape how listeners imagine size, weight, importance, or even nastiness.
Forms
Augmentatives typically attach suffixes to a noun's stem, and the exact suffix can vary by dialect and word class. Some suffixes trigger a change in gender or sound.
Common Augmentative Suffixes
Common augmentative suffixes include -ón, -azo, -ote, and -ón; each adds a different shade of size or forcefulness. These suffixes attach to the noun and sometimes cause stress to shift.
| Suffix | Effect | Example (Spanish) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ón | large / heavy | balón (de bola) | big ball / balloon |
| -azo | very large / blow / impressive | golazo | great goal / big hit |
| -ote | big / burly / sometimes colloquial | casote | big house |
| -ona | feminine large / sometimes affectionate | mesona | big table (or hostess) |
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🐘 L’éléphant est énorme. | The elephant is enormous. | Base noun with natural largeness |
| 🌳 L’arbre est gigantesque. | The tree is gigantic. | Size intensified with suffix |
| 🏠 La maison est immense. | The house is immense. | Formal augmentative tone |
| 🚙 La voiture est colossale. | The car is colossal. | Dramatic size expression |
| 🐶 Le chien est grand. | The dog is big. | Simple adjective |
| 🐩 Le caniche est minuscule. | The poodle is tiny. | Contrast with small size |
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Gender Changes
Some augmentative suffixes change the noun's gender, typically from masculine to feminine when adding -a at the end. This can affect articles and adjectives.
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🐘 L’éléphant est énorme. | The (male) elephant is enormous. |
| 🐘 La grosse éléphante marche lentement. | The large (female) elephant walks slowly. |
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Usage
Augmentatives can be literally descriptive or carry subjective connotations like admiration, irony, or disdain. Context and tone determine whether they sound neutral, affectionate, or mocking.
They are common in spoken language and regional speech, so flavors vary between countries. Market vendors, storytellers, and everyday speakers rely on them for vivid effect.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🐘 L’éléphant a une trompe gigantesque. | The elephant has a gigantic trunk. |
| 🌊 La vague était énorme et a submergé la plage. | The wave was huge and flooded the beach. |
| 🎒 J’ai un sac immense pour tout mon matériel. | I have an immense bag for all my gear. |
| 🐓 Le coq fait un bruit colossal au matin. | The rooster makes a colossal noise in the morning. |
| 🗣️ Il a une voix très forte et impressionnante. | He has a very loud and impressive voice. |
Related Forms
Diminutives express smallness or affection, while augmentatives express largeness or intensity. Some words can take both to fine-tune meaning, and comparable suffixes appear in adjectives and verbs.
Summary
Augmentatives mold perception of size and impact through suffixes that attach to nouns, sometimes changing gender and adding nuance. They enrich description with force, color, and speaker attitude.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025