How are Spanish augmentatives formed?

You may have noticed that Spanish augmentatives are formed by adding a suffix to the root of a word. The most common are: -ón / -ona; -ote / -ota; -azo / -aza; -uco / -uca; -ón / -ona; -acho / -acha.

Remember that, in some cases, adding the suffix to a word can change its spelling, for example, casa becomes “casoplón”.

Practical exercises with Spanish augmentatives

As you have seen, Spanish augmentatives are used in everyday and colloquial language and, often, in formal situations, adding expressiveness to speech.

If you feel confident using augmentatives in Spanish, here is an exercise for you to complete. Add the correct form of the word to form augmentatives. Don't worry, you'll find the answers below.

• El perro era tan grande que todos lo llamaban el (perro) ________.
• Cuando cerró la puerta, dio un (puerta) ________.
• ¡Qué (calor) ________ hace hoy!
• Mi abuela siempre me da un (abrazo) ________ cuando la visito.
• Compraron un (casa) ________ con cinco habitaciones y jardín enorme.
• Se dio un (golpe) ________ al caerse de la bicicleta.
• Ese (grande) ________ no quiso ayudar a nadie y se fue molesto.
• Mi amigo es un (amigo) ________: siempre está cuando lo necesito.
• En la calle diluviaba cuando se dio un (golpe) ________ con la bici en una esquina.
• Ese niño es un poco rebelde, pero en el fondo es un (bueno) ________.

Augmentatives in Spanish are useful and easy-to-use words that add nuance and variety to your conversations. They indicate that something changes in size, but you can also use them to express intensity or affection. Keep practicing and use augmentatives every day to become a fluent Spanish speaker.

Answers: perrazo, portazo, calorazo, abrazote, casoplón, golpazo, grandullón, amigazo, golpetazo, buenazo.

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When to use augmentatives in Spanish?

As we have seen, augmentatives in Spanish are used to express different meanings, depending on the speaker's intention. In informal conversation, augmentatives are not used to indicate that something is big, for example, but to reflect an emotional or evaluative attitude toward an object or person.

Here are some of the most common augmentatives in Spanish:

1. Size

The most common use of augmentatives in Spanish is to indicate that something is physically large. For example:

• Dio un portazo que hizo temblar todo el edificio (He slammed the door so hard that the whole building shook)
• Viven en un casoplón enorme a las afueras de la ciudad (They live in a huge mansion on the outskirts of the city)

2. Intensity

Another way to use augmentatives in Spanish is to indicate intensity or exaggerate something. These suffixes emphasize the noun or adjective. Examples:

• Se dio un golpetazo al tropezar con una piedra (He gave himself a bump when he tripped over a rock)
• Menudo problemón que no puedas venir el viernes a la reunión (What a big problem that you can't come to the meeting on Friday)

3. Admiration

Some words can be modified with augmentatives to show admiration, affection, love, or surprise.

• Te mando un abrazote desde aquí (I'm sending you a big hug from here)
• Tu primo es un pezado de artista (Your cousin is a real artist)

4. Mockery

In other cases, augmentatives are used to give a word an ironic or derogatory nuance. For example:

• Ese grandullón no puede levantar tanto peso (That big guy can't lift that much weight)
• No seas cabezota y deja que te ayude (Don't be stubborn and let me help you)

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If you are just starting to learn Spanish and you can't find some words in the dictionary, it may be because they have a Spanish suffix or prefix that modifies their intensity. These words are called augmentatives or diminutives and are commonly used in colloquial language.

In this article, we explain what Spanish augmentatives are and give you useful examples to help you understand how they are used. At don Quijote, we know that learning a new language is a challenge, so in addition to this article, we recommend that you browse our Spanish courses in Spain and take a look to find the one that best suits your needs.

What are Spanish augmentatives?

Spanish augmentatives are suffixes that are added to a word to express an increase in size, intensity, or importance. They serve to give an idea of grandeur, exaggeration, or anger to the word, depending on the context in which it is used. In addition, augmentatives can modify the meaning of a noun, adjective, or adverb.

For example, to say that a casa (house) is big, we can use the word “casoplón”.

In Spanish, augmentatives not only indicate physical size but can also refer to emotional or expressive nuances. Thus, augmentatives in Spanish can have a positive or negative tone, depending on the context. For example:

• ¡Qué cochazo tienes! (What an amazing car you have!) à Here, the word cochazo refers to a new or very nice car, so it is an augmentative with a positive tone.
• En menudo problemón te has metido (What a big problem you've gotten yourself into) à In contrast, here, the word problemón has a negative meaning because it refers to a huge problem.

Unlike augmentatives, Spanish diminutives indicate smallness, affection, or softness. Thus, both are resources used in Spanish that allow for nuance in conversation without the need to add, for example, more adjectives.

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Spanish augmentatives

Spanish augmentatives. Discover what augmentatives are in Spanish and some useful examples to master this part of the language with don Quijote.

Grammar Spanish augmentatives. Discover what augmentatives are in Spanish and some useful examples to master this part of the language with don Quijote. spanish augmentatives, augmentative spanish, augmentatives in spanish, augmentative suffix Spanish, diminutive and augmentative spanish examples Off Marta Díaz

Calçotada season in Spain

The calçotada season begins in November and lasts until April. Although calçots are grown in various areas of Catalonia, the Valls region remains the epicenter of this tradition. So, if you want to experience an authentic calçotada, don't hesitate to visit this region of Tarragona.

It is in Valls where the Great Calçotada Festival is held at the end of January, with hundreds of people taking part. During this festival, there are competitions, demonstrations, and tastings to pay homage to calçots.

During the calçotada season, it is common to see families and friends gathering in farmhouses and restaurants to enjoy calçotadas. This celebration goes beyond food, as it represents an opportunity to get together and keep alive a tradition that combines history, gastronomy, and lots of flavors.

The calçots recipe

The original calçots recipe involves roasting them and preparing a special sauce, known as romesco sauce or salvitxada sauce. Romesco sauce is made from tomatoes, garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, bread, and dried peppers, with a touch of vinegar and olive oil. This accompaniment has a deep, smoky flavor, ideal for enhancing the sweetness of the roasted calçots.

If you want to prepare a first-class calçotada, you should place the calçots directly on a grill over high heat. The key is to roast them until the outside is slightly burnt (in fact, the outside will be black and almost charred, so don't be alarmed if they look black). Once roasted, wrap them in newspaper to keep them warm and moist until ready to serve.

Another tradition is the way calçots are eaten, which is one of the most enjoyable parts. Take a calçot in one hand, pull off the burnt layer to reveal the white, tender part, and then dip it in romesco sauce before putting it in your mouth. Tilt your head back so you can eat the calçot in one bite. Although it may seem complicated, this way of eating calçots is a fundamental part of the gastronomic experience.

All that's left is for you to try calçots and tell us what you thought of the experience. This tradition has seduced thousands of tourists and visitors who gather to enjoy this experience. Don't miss out and visit Barcelona with don Quijote.

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You've probably heard of the famous calçotadas in Catalonia, but do you know what calçots are or where this tradition comes from? Understanding a country's culture and traditions will help you better understand its language and get more involved in learning it.

So, at don Quijote, we encourage you to sign up for one of our Spanish courses in Barcelona and come and try calçotadas for yourself. But in the meantime, in this article we'll tell you about the origin of calçotadas, the classic recipe, and, of course, what calçots are. Keep reading so you don't miss anything!

What are calçots?

Calçots are a type of spring onion typical of Catalonia, but especially of Tarragona. This onion is one of the star ingredients of Catalan cuisine and, therefore, the centerpiece of one of its most beloved gastronomic traditions: the calçotada.

The main difference between calçots and common onions is that the former are long and thin, softer, and have a sweeter flavor. However, calçots can only be eaten during a limited season: in the winter months and until spring.

Origin of calçots

Calçotadas have captured the interest and attention of thousands of locals and tourists, and with good reason. This tradition dates to the 19th century and is attributed to a farmer named Xat de Benaiges, who lived in Valls, a town in the Tarragona region.

According to tradition, during one of his agricultural experiments, Xat decided to plant onions in an unusual way. Instead of allowing them to grow in the usual way, Xat gradually covered the onions with soil as they grew, forcing the plant to sprout upwards to reach the sunlight.

Thanks to this method of cultivation, known in Catalan as “calçar,” the onion elongates and acquires the characteristic appearance of calçots. Therefore, the name calçots comes from this method of cultivation that Xat de Benaiges implemented on onions.

It is also said that it was Xat de Benaiges who, when tasting calçots roasted on the grill for the first time, noticed their special sweet and slightly smoky flavor. Over time, the tradition became popular among the region's residents and soon spread throughout Catalonia.

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Calçots: origin and recipe

Calçots. Do you know what are calçots? We'll tell you all about this Catalan food. The origin of calçotadas and how to make calçots with romesco sauce.

Spain Barcelona Calçots. Do you know what are calçots? We'll tell you all about this Catalan food. The origin of calçotadas and how to make calçots with romesco sauce. calcots, calçotada, calçots, calçot, calcotada festival, calcots in English, calcots spain, calcots con romesco, what are calcots Off Marta Díaz