413. Some verbs may introduce an
infinitive with any one of two or even three different prepositions.
The meaning may or may not vary. The majority of these constructions
must be learned from observation.
| Echó a correr. |
He began to run. |
| No lo echó de ver. |
He did not notice it. |
| ¿Qué piensa V. de eso? |
What is your opinion of it? |
| Piensa en ella. |
He thinks of her. |
| Quedó en (or
a) venir. |
He agreed to come. |
414. Frequently the preposition used before the
infinitive is not determined by the preceding verb but by the construction
which follows, and it translates not the English ' to ' but ' by,'
' with,' etc.
| Se contenta con venir. |
She is satisfied by (or
with) coming. |
| Se muere por verme. |
He is very anxious to see me. |
| Se muere de verle así. |
He is dying to see him thus. |
| Está para entrar. |
He is about to enter
(in point of time). |
| Está por entrar. |
He is about to enter (inclined to). |
415. Augmentatives and Diminutives. The
Spanish language is very rich in suffixes which qualify the meanings
of words, especially nouns, adjectives, and past participles. A
few can be attached generally to any noun or adjective, but most
of them cannot, so that great care and observation are the only
safe guides in their use.
a. The most common augmentative endings are:
-ón, -ote, -etón, -erón, -achón,
-acho, -ucho, -ejón, -arrón, -azo.
b. The most common diminutive endings are:
-ito, -cito, -ecito, -illo, -cillo, -ecillo, -ico, -cico,
-ecico, -uelo, -zuelo, -ezuelo.
416. The general rules for the formation of augmentatives
and diminutives are:
a. The suffix is attached to the full form of the word,
if it ends in a consonant or an accented vowel:
| el ángel, |
the angel. |
el angelito, |
the little angel. |
| la flor, |
the flower. |
la florecita, |
the little flower. |
| el animal, |
the animal. |
el animalón, |
the large beast. |
| papá, |
papa. |
papaíto, |
dear father. |
b. The vowel is dropped before the suffix is attached,
if the word ends in an unaccented vowel:
| la mano, |
the hand. |
la manecita, |
the little hand. |
| el hombre, |
the man. |
el hombrón, |
the big man. |
| la niña, |
the girl. |
la niñita, |
the little girl. |
417. Meaning of Augmentative and Diminutive
Suffixes.
a. AUGMENTATIVES.
1. The suffixes -ón, -erón, -etón,
-azo are, as a rule, mere augmentatives:
| el hombre, |
the man. |
el hombrón,
el hombrazo, |
} |
the big man. |
| |
| la casa, |
the house. |
el caserón, |
the big house. |
| la moza, |
the lass. |
la mocetona, |
the big girl. |
2. -acho, -ucho, -ote, -achón, -arrón,
-ejón are augmentative, depreciative, pejorative:
| el pueblo, |
the people. |
el populacho, |
the mob, rabble. |
| el cuarto, |
the room. |
el cuartucho, |
the ugly old room. |
| la nube, |
the cloud. |
el nubarrón, |
the big cloud. |
| feo, |
ugly. |
feote, |
very ugly. |
| |
| rico, |
rich. |
ricacho,
ricachón, |
} |
very rich. |
b. DIMINUTIVES.
1. The suffixes -ito, -cito, -ecito, -ico, -cico, -ecico
express diminutiveness, affection, pity:
| el hijo, |
the son. |
el hijito, |
the (dear) little son. |
| (Sera)fina, |
Fina. |
Finita, |
little Fina. |
| pobre, |
poor, wretched. |
pobrecito, |
pitiable, poor little fellow, etc. |
| la flor, |
the flower. |
la florecita, |
the little flower. |
| las manos, |
the hands. |
las manecitas, |
the dear (or lovely) little hands. |
| |
| pequeño, |
small. |
pequeñito,
pequeñico,
|
} |
very small. |
| |
| ahora, |
now. |
ahorita, |
very soon. |
| lejos, |
far. |
lejitos, |
rather far. |
2. -illo, -cillo, -ecillo, -uelo, -zuelo, -ezuelo
express diminutiveness, lowness, scorn, ridicule.
| el rey, |
the king. |
el reyezuelo, |
the worthless king. |
| el capitán, |
the captain. |
el capitancillo, |
the little captain. |
| la mujer, |
the woman. |
la mujercilla, |
the little woman. |
| colorado, |
red. |
coloradillo, |
light red. |
| Juan, |
John. |
Juanillo, |
little John. |
|
