Spanish Augmentatives: Instantly Boost Your Vocabulary

In a previous post, we gave you the lowdown on Spanish suffixes and prefixes, and now, it’s time to have an in-depth look at Spanish augmentatives, which themselves are a type of suffixes.

So what are Spanish augmentatives?

As the term indicates, augmentatives typically make the root word bigger or add greater intensity to that word. As you will see, depending on the tone and context, Spanish augmentatives can also be used to talk in a disparaging or disapproving way.

Depending on the augmentative that is used, the meaning can change slightly, or a lot.

For example, let’s take the word cabeza, which means “head” in English.

When we use suffixes to form Spanish augmentatives, the result is:

• Stubborn – cabezota

• Pig headed – Cabezón

• Header – Cabezazo

As you can see, the meaning varies a lot.

Spanish augmentatives can be formed from verbs or adverbs, turning them into adjectives.

Spanish Original Word	English equivalent	Augmentative	English equivalent
Llorar	To cry	Llorón	Weepy
Bueno	Good	Buenazo	A very good person
Comer	To eat	Comelón	Glutton

They can also be formed from nouns, and depending on the augmentative, may or may not change the meaning or intensity of that noun.

Spanish Original Word	English equivalent	Augmentative	English equivalent
Fiesta	Party	Fiestota	Big party
Película	Movie	Peliculón	Great movie

Common Spanish Augmentatives

It’s worthing mentioning that there is no general hard and fast rule for how to form Spanish augmentatives, or when to use them. You simply need to memorize them and then imitate how native Spanish speakers use them.

You may even notice that some augmentatives are more commonly used in certain Spanish speaking countries – for example, some native speakers will use the word “fiestón” to describe a big party, while others will use “fiestota” for the same idea.

In the next couple of sections, we’ll cover the most commonly used Spanish augmentatives that you’ll hear in conversations with native Spanish speakers.

• Spanish augmentatives ending in -ÓN – ONA
• Spanish augmentatives ending in OTE – OTA
• Spanish augmentatives ending in AZO – AZA
• Spanish augmentatives ending in -UCHO – UCHA

1) The endings -ÓN – ONA

One of the most used suffixes, these Spanish augmentatives are usually used with nouns to form adjectives in a derogatory way, and also verbs to talk about impetuous or violent actions.

Let’s see some examples

Original word	English equivalent	Spanish Augmentative	English equivalent
Barriga	Belly	Barrigón / Barigona	Potbellied, Paunchy
Empujar	To push	Empujón	Shove
Cachetes	Cheeks	Cachetón / Chachetona	chubby cheeks
Bofetada	Slap	Bofetón	Big slap
Grito	Scream	Gritón / Gritona	Loud person
Comer	To eat	Comelón / Comelona	Glutton
Soltero	Bachelor	Solterón	Old bachelor
Soltera	Bachelorette	Solterona	Spinster

Examples:

• What a beautiful baby, look those plump cheeks! – ¡Qué bebé tan hermoso mira que cachetón!

• If you don’t dare to meet new people, you are going to be an old bachelor – Si no te atreves a conocer gente nueva, te vas a quedar solterón

• The teacher punished the child at school, because he gave another student a shove – La profesora castigó al niño en el colegio, porque le dió un empujón a otro estudiante

Not all Spanish augmentatives that use this suffix are derogatory. Sometimes, the suffix simply changes the size or meaning of the original word.

For example:

Original word	English equivalent	Spanish Augmentative	English equivalent
Silla	Chair	Sillón	Armchair
Mesa	Table	Mesón	Counter
Vela	Candle	Velón	Oil Lamp
Botella	Bottle	Botellón	Big bottle

2) The endings -OTE -OTA

Although the meaning will vary depending on the word that is being modified, in general, these suffixes are used in an ironic way to imply that something is excessive or exaggerated.

 

Original word	English equivalent	Spanish Augmentative	English equivalent
Muchacho	Boy	Muchachote	Big boy
Muchacha	Girl	Muchachota	Big girl
Perro/Perra	Dog	Perrote / Perrota	Big dog
Amigo / Amiga	Friend	Amigote / Amigota	Buddy
Grande	Big	Grandote / Grandota	Huge
Gafo	Dumb	Gafote	Very dumb
Hombre	Man	Hombrezote	Really big and handsome man
Mujer	Woman	Mujerzota	Really big and handsome woman
Abrazo	Hug	Abrazote	Big hug
Gato/Gata	Cat	Gatote / Gatota	Big cat
Casa	House	Casota	Really big house
Cama	Bed	Camota	Big bed, queen size bed.
Barriga	Tummy	Barrigota	Big tummy
Teléfono	Phone	Telefonote	Fancy cell phone
Cerebro	Brain	Cerebrote	Brainiac. Very intelligent

Examples:

• Look at you! You are a big boy now – Mírate, ya eres todo un muchachote

• Julia just adopted a beautiful big dog – Julia acaba de adoptar un perrote hermoso

• You can’t be that dumb, don’t you see that they make fun of you? – No puedes ser tan gafote. ¿No ves que se burlan de ti?

• She is a complete brainiac. He is 16 years old and is already in college – Ella es todo un cerebrote. Tiene 16 años y ya está en la universidad

3) The endings  -AZO -AZA

These suffixes are used in a similar way to the first category and typically increase an negative aspect of something. However, they can also express sudden actions or blows made with objects.

If the word ends in a vowel (a,e,i,o,u), you will change the last vowel by the suffix

Original word	English equivalent	Augmentative	English equivalent
Zapato	Shoe	Zapatazo	Hit by a shoe
Cabeza	Head	Cabezazo	Header
Botella	Bottle	Botellazo	Hit by a bottle
Codo	Elbow	Codazo	Nudge

Examples:

• I had to nudge my brother to shut up – Yo le tuve que dar un codazo a mi hermano para que se callara

• Someone just bottled me – Alguien me acaba de dar un botellazo

• She was so upset that she threw a shoe at the door – Ella estaba tan molesta que lanzó un zapatazo a la puerta

There are some exceptions whereby the suffixes increase the size of the original word in a positive way.

Original word	English equivalent	Augmentative	English equivalent
Bigote	Mustache	Bigotazo	Great mustache
Foto	Picture	Fotaza	Great picture
Éxito	Success	Exitazo	Great success
Hotel	Hotel	Hotelazo	Big and fancy Hotel

Examples:

• We have stayed in a spectacular hotel, when we went to Buenos Aires – Nos hemos quedado en un hotelazo espectacular, cuando fuimos a Buenos Aires

• The presentation of the new product was a huge success. Everyone liked it – La presentación del nuevo producto fue un exitazo. A todos les gustó

• What a beautiful photo of El Ávila. Did you take it? – Que fotaza tan hermosa de El Ávila. ¿La tomaste tú?

4) The endings -UCHO – UCHA

Used when you wish to show contempt towards something or someone. If the word ends in these suffixes, then it will always have a negative connotation.

Original word	English equivalent	Augmentative	English equivalent
Casa	House	Casucha	Slum house
Café	Coffee	Cafesucho	Bad coffee
Médico	Doctor	Medicucho	Bad doctor
Flaco	Thin	Flacucho	Scrawny
Vieja /Viejo	Old Lady or an old thing (feminine)	Viejucha, Viejucho	Very Old

Examples:

• I do not like that patisserie, they serve a horrible bad coffee – No me gusta esa pastelería, sirven un cafesucho horrible

• You are scrawny, what happen to you? – Estás muy flacucho, ¿que te pasó?

• This dress is very old, and I don’t want to wear it – Este vestido ya esta viejucho, no quiero usarlo

Spanish Augmentatives: Exercises

Choose the right augmentative. Scroll down for answers.

A) Casa (House)

1. Casota
2. Casón
3. Casita

B) Pueblo (Town)

1. Pueblito
2. Puebleño
3. Pueblucho

C) Grande (Big)

1. Grandón
2. Grandaza
3. Grandote

D) Plato (Dish)

1. Platico
2. Platazo
3. Platucha

E) Bigote (Mustache)

1. Bigotudo
2. Bigotazo
3. Bigotito

F) Gato (Cat)

1. Gatiño
2. Gatucho
3. Gatote

G) Puerta (Door)

1. Portazo
2. Puertin
3. Puertucha

H) Amigas (Friends)

1. Amigonas
2. Amigotas
3. Amiguitas

I) Mandar (To command)

1. Mandota
2. Mandona
3. Manducho

J) Rodilla (Knee)

1. Rodillazo
2. Rodillucha
3. Rodillita

Spanish Augmentatives: Answers

A) Casa

1. Casota
2. Casón
3. Casita

B) Pueblo

1. Pueblito
2. Puebleño
3. Pueblucho

C) Grande

1. Grandón
2. Grandaza
3. Grandote

D) Plato

1. Platico
2. Platazo
3. Platucha

E) Bigote

1. Bigotudo
2. Bigotazo
3. Bigotito

F) Gato

1. Gatiño
2. Gatucho
3. Gatote

G) Puerta

1. Portazo
2. Puertin
3. Puertucha

H) Amigas

1. Amigonas
2. Amigotas
3. Amiguitas

I) Mandar

1. Mandota
2. Mandona
3. Manducho

J) Rodilla

1. Rodillazo
2. Rodillucha
3. Rodillita