23.1.9 Formation of diminutivo with -illo

One more form of diminutivo shall be introduced here, the one with -illo/-illa. This form can be used instead of the -ito-form.

  Examples of diminutivo with ending -illo

el chico = little one, a boy
el chiquillo / los chiquillos = little boy, little boys
(or: el chiquito / los chiquitos)
la chica = little one, girl
la chiquilla / las chiquillas = little girl, little girls
(or: la chiquita / las chiquitas)
la casa = hose
la casilla = post box (!! hardly anymore the meaning of little house)
(or: la casita)
el hombre = man
el hombrecillo = little man, little guy
(or: el hombrecito)
el cofre = suitcase (trunk)
el cofrecillo = little suitcase


The ways diminutivos are formed differ from region to region. In some regions of Southern America a formation with -ingo/-inga (la casinga = the little house) is very common. However, this is not the time and place to introduce all the possibilities. Where ever you will find an ending you soon will also find out the logic behind. It is usually similar to that what we have seen until now. The correspondence of the gender and number is always to taken into account.






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