Augmentative Suffixes (cont.)

In continuation of the lesson on augmentations, let's talk further about suffixes to change the meaning of nouns slightly. Another interesting and very common suffix used in Spanish is the -ón/-ona ending. This suffix, when attached to the verb stem means someone or something who is always engaged in whatever the verb stem signifies. Colloquially, this suffix usually adds a tone of contempt or derogation.

Respectively, the -ón/-ona suffixes are referring to a masculine and feminine noun.

For example, if we take the verb gritar(to yell, to shout) and after dropping the infinitive suffix, we replace it with -ón, we get the new noun:

el gritón loud mouth, somebody who is always shouting

Other verbs that take on different meanings when an augmentative suffix is added are in the table below, along with their derived nouns:

burlar("to joke")	el burlón	a joker
comer("to eat")	el comilón*	a "pig", glutton, big eater
contestar("to answer")	el contestón	know-it-all, always answers back
dormir("to sleep")	el dormilón*	sleepy-head, always tired
llorar("to cry")	el llorón	a crybaby
mirar("to see")	el mirón	always stares
preguntar("to question")	el contestón	always asking questions, inquisitive

*As you can see above, certain verbs like dormir and comer have an additional "il" added onto the suffix in order for it to meld smoothly onto the root verb.

Here are some example sentences:

Miguel sigue hablando en una voz alta. Siempre ha sido un gritón. Miguel keeps talking in a loud voice. He's always been a loud-mouth.

David pesa mucho a causa de comer tanto. Es un comilón. David weighs a lot because he eats too much. He is a fatso.


¡Sigue estudiando!

Professor Joel