Portuguese C2: Small & big: -inho, -ito, -ão · Grammar

Portuguese uses diminutives all the time, for size but above all for affection or politeness: um cafezinho, só um bocadinho, obrigadinho. -inho is the usual one (casinha, livrinho), -zinho after a stressed vowel or a consonant (cafezinho, pãozinho). -ito sounds more northern or literary (rapazito). -ão makes things big (casarão), and feminine nouns often turn masculine: a porta → o portão. Some shift meaning: o portão is a gate.

• o cafezinho — little coffee
• o bocadinho — tiny bit
• a casinha — cottage
• o pãozinho — bread roll
• o rapazito — young lad
• o casarão — mansion
• o portão — gate
• obrigadinho — thanks ever so much

• Só um minutinho, por favor. — Just a minute, please.
• Vamos tomar um cafezinho? — Shall we have a quick coffee?
• Que casinha tão gira! — What a lovely little house!
• Fala devagarinho, por favor. — Speak nice and slowly, please.