Catalan C2: Small & big: -et, -ó, -às, -ot · Words

Suffixes add size and feeling. -et and -eta are the usual diminutives, often affectionate (cafetet, caseta); -ó and -ona are small too (carretó, cafetó). -às and -assa make things big (cotxàs, gentassa); -ot and -ota are big and often clumsy or rough (homenot, llibrot). Some have become words of their own: la carretera, el moixó, la cadireta.

• el cafetó — quick coffee
• la caseta — little house
• l' estoneta — short while
• el cotxàs — flashy car
• l' homenot — big brute of a man
• el llibrot — big heavy book
• la gentada — crowd
• la cadireta — little chair

• Torno d’aquí a una estoneta. — I’ll be back in a little while.
• Quina caseta més bonica! — What a lovely little house!
• Va entrar un homenot amb cara de pocs amics. — A big unfriendly-looking man came in.
• Va marxar fent un cop de porta. — He left slamming the door.