I suffissi
1. To indicate smallness or express affection or endearment, add the common suffixes such as -ino/a/i/e, -etto/a/i/e, -ello/a/i/e, and -uccio, -uccia, -ucci, -ucce.
2. Adding the above endings, Maria (Mary) becomes Mariuccia (little Mary), and case (houses) becomes casette (little houses).
3. To denote largeness add -one/-ona (singular) and -oni/-one (plural). Libro (book) becomes librone (big book), and lettera (letter) becomes letterona (long letter).
4. To convey the idea of a bad or ugly quality, add the suffixes -accio, -accia, -acci, and -acce. Parola (word) becomes parolaccia (dirty word).
Tips:
1. When a suffix is added, the final vowel of the word is dropped.
2. Since it is very difficult to know which suffix(es) a noun may take, it is advisable to use only forms that you have read in Italian books or heard used by native speakers.
3. Many feminine nouns become masculine when the suffix -one is added: la palla (ball) becomes il pallone (soccer ball), and la porta (door) becomes il portone (street door).
http://italian.about.com/cs/grammar/ht/usesuffixes.htm
Nomi alternati
Sometimes an Italian noun can be modified to express a particular quality (large, small, pretty, ugly) without using a qualifying Italian adjective. These nouns are created by taking the root of the noun and adding a suffix such as -ino, -one, -etto, or -accio. Italian nouns formed this way are called i nomi alterati (altered, or modified, nouns). Italian grammarians refer to this type of suffix modification as alterazione (alteration).
There are four types of nomi alterati: diminutivi (diminutives), accrescitivi (augmentatives), vezzeggiativi (pet names or terms of endearment), and peggiorativi (or dispregiativi) (pejoratives or derogatory terms). Most common Italian nouns can be modified, but keep in mind that the gender and number of the suffix must agree with the noun.
Using Nomi Alterati
How and when are modified Italian nouns used? Unlike, for example, choosing auxiliary verbs or forming plural adjectives, Italian speakers are never required to use nomi alterati. There are no hard and fast grammar rules, either, for when it's appropriate, in conversation or print, to use them. Rather, it's a personal linguistic choice—some people use them frequently, and others tend to use adjectives instead.
It also depends on the audience, the setting, and on the level of rapport between the parties. In certain situations, some modified Italian nouns would be inappropriate or out of context. But using a well-chosen nome alterato, pronounced with the right inflection and tone, can communicate volumes. In one sense, it's analogous to humor—timing is all.
Alterati Diminutivi (Diminutives)
A diminutivo usually conveys such meanings as: small, tiny. The following are examples of suffissi alterativi (alternate endings) used to form diminutivi (diminutives):
-ino: mamma—mammina; minestra—minestrina; pensiero—pensierino; ragazzo—ragazzino
-(i)cino (a variant of -ino): bastone—bastoncino; libro—libric(c)ino
-olino (a variant of -ino): sasso—sassolino; topo—topolino; freddo—freddolino; magro—magrolino
-etto: bacio—bacetto; camera—cameretta; casa—casetta; lupo—lupetto; basso—bassetto; piccolo—piccoletto. Frequently used concurrently with other suffixes: scarpa—scarpetta—scarpettina; secco—secchetto—secchettino
-ello: albero—alberello; asino—asinello; paese—paesello; rondine—rondinella; cattivo—cattivello; povero—poverello
-(i)cello (a variant of -ello): campo—campicello; informazione—informazioncella
-erello (a variant of -ello): fatto—fatterello; fuoco—f(u)ocherello. Frequently used concurrently with other suffixes: storia—storiella—storiellina; bucco—bucherello—bucherellino
-icci(u)olo: asta—asticci(u)ola; festa—festicciola; porto—porticciolo; sometimes can also have a pejorative sense: donna—donnicci(u)ola
-(u)olo: faccenda—faccenduola; montagna—montagnuola; poesia—poesiola
-otto: contadino—contadinotto; pieno—pienotto; giovane—giovanotto; ragazzo—ragazzotto; basso—bassotto. The ending also refers to a juvenile animal: aquila—aquilotto; lepre—leprotto; passero—passerotto
-iciattolo (considered a diminutive/pejorative combination): febbre—febbriciattolo; fiume—fiumiciattolo; libro—libriciattolo; mostro—mostriciattolo
Alterati Accrescitivi (Augmentatives)
An accrescitivo usually conveys such meanings as: large, big, grand. It is the opposite of a diminutive. The following are examples of suffissi alterativi (alternate endings) used to form accrescitivi (augmentatives):
-one: febbre—febbrona (febbrone); libro—librone; pigro—pigrone; mano—manona (manone); ghiotto—ghiottone. Frequently used concurrently with other suffixes: uomo—omaccio—omaccione; pazzo—pazzerello—pazzerellone. Sometimes the intermediate term is not used in contemporary Italian: buono—bonaccione
-acchione (has an ironic connotation): frate—fratacchione; volpe—volpacchione; furbo—furbacchione; matto—mattachione
Alterati Vezzeggiativi (Pet Names or Terms of Endearment)
A vezzeggiativo usually conveys such meanings as: affection, sympathy, enjoyment, grace. The following are examples of suffissi alterativi (alternate endings) used to form vezzeggiativi (pet names or terms of endearment):
-acchiotto (considered a diminutive/pet name combination): lupo—lupacchiotto; orso—orsacchiotto; volpe—volpacchiotto; furbo—furbacchiotto
-uccio: avvocato—avvocatuccio; casa—casuccia; cavallo—cavalluccio; caldo—calduccio; freddo—fredduccio
-uzzo (a variant of -uccio): pietra—pietruzza
Paolo, a member of the About.com Italian Language Forums community and a native Italian speaker from Milano, gives an example of how vezzeggiativi are used: "I have a friend who calls me Paoletto. This doesn't sound very much like a man, of course, but it's out of affection. More realistically, my brother calls me Paolone, Big Paolo."
Alterati Peggiorativi (Pejoratives)
A peggiorativo usually conveys such meanings as: contempt, defiance, disdain, scorn (for), disregard, self-contempt, self-disgust. The following are examples of suffissi alterativi (alternate endings) used to form peggiorativi (pejoratives):
-ucolo: donna—donnucola; maestro—maestrucolo; poeta—poetucolo
-accio: coltello—coltellaccio; libro—libraccio; voce—vociaccia; avaro—avaraccio
-azzo (a variant of -accio): amore—amorazzo; coda—codazzo
-astro (has a pejorative sense when the root is a noun, and an attenuated sense when the root is an adjective): medico—medicastro; poeta—poetastro; politico—politicastro; bianco—biancastro; dolce—dolciastro; rosso—rossastro
Spelling Changes to Noun Root
When creating i nomi alterati, a few nouns, when modified, undergo a spelling change to the root. For example:
uomo—omone
cane—cagnone
Gender Changes to Noun Root
In some instances the root noun changes gender when creating i nomi alterati. For example:
barca (feminine noun)—un barcone (masculine noun): a large boat
donna (feminine noun)—un donnone (masculine noun): a big (large) woman
febbre (feminine noun)—un febbrone (masculine noun): very high fever
sala (feminine noun)—un salone (masculine noun): a large room
Alterati Falsi
Certain nouns that appear to be nomi alterati are actually nouns in and off themselves. For example, the following forms are falsi alterati (false altered nouns):
tacchino (not the diminutive of tacco)
bottone (not the augmentative of botto)
mattone (not the augmentative of matto)
focaccia (not the pejorative of foca)
occhiello (not the diminutive of occhio)
burrone (not the augmentative of burro)
colletto (not the diminutive of collo)
collina (not the diminutive of colla)
limone (not the augmentative of lima)
cerotto (not the augmentative of cero)
In addition, be aware when creating nomi alterati that not all nouns can be combined with all suffixes. Either the term sounds off-key to the ear (Italian is a musical language, after all), or the resulting word is linguistically awkward. In general, the repetition of the same sound element in both the root and suffix should be avoided: tetto can be modified into tettino or tettuccio, but not tettetto; contadino can be modified into contadinello or contadinetto, but not contadinino. It's best to use only forms you have observed in print or heard used by native speakers. When in doubt, consult a dictionary.
On the other hand, if you want to stretch your creative language skills, try coining a neologismo (neologism). Matching nouns with previously unused modifying suffixes is one way that new words are formed. After all, you'd get a big laugh from native Italians if, after eating an unappetizing pizza, you were to declare, "Che pizzaccia!".
http://italian.about.com/od/grammar/a/aa061108a.htm
Noun/Adjective Suffixes:
Suffixes modify the meaning of the base word and can be used to form adjectives from nouns and vice versa.
Suffixes can be used to form diminutives, augmentatives, and pejoratives (depreciatives), but they should be coined cautiously: many have preexisting figurative, slang, or sexual meanings.
Many other suffixes form adjectives from nouns and verbs, but most of these adjectives can stand alone as nouns -- the noun they modify can be an unspoken indefinite pronoun: one or some.
Diminutives:
In English, the diminutive endings -let and -ie (-y) are added to nouns to connote small size or endearment: pig, piglet, piggie. Italian uses the diminutive ending in the same way.
The final vowel of the noun is dropped before adding the diminutive suffix. In the feminine form the -o changes to -a.
-ino uccello --> uccellino (little bird)
-icino cuore --> cuoricino (little heart)
-etto giovane --> giovanetto (little young man)
-ello fontana --> fontanella (little fountain)
-olo figlio --> figliolo (little son)
-uccio bocca --> boccuccia (cute, little mouth)
-olino radio --> radiolina (little radio)
-uzza via --> viuzza (little street)
Sometimes diminutives connote a bad quality or contempt.
-uccio casa --> casuccia (small, ugly house)
-etto podere --> poderetto (worthless, little farm)
Some nouns change meaning and gender when a suffix is attached.
-ino camera --> camerino (room --> changing room)
-ino coda --> codino (tail--> pigtail)
Caution: codina (feminine) in some dialects means prostitute and codino (masculine) can be male prostitute if applied to a person.
N.B.: coin diminutives cautiously -- many (including all of the above) have preexisting slang or figurative, including sexual, meanings.
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Augmentatives
Augnentative suffixes are added to a noun to indicate large size or exaggeration of a quality. A common one is -one.
-one naso --> nasone (big nose -- or a person who has one)
-one libro --> librone (big book)
Some feminine nouns when the -one suffix is attached change gender.
-one la donna --> la donnone (big woman -- or too masculine or dominating, or a male transvestite)
-one la febbre --> la febbrone (high fever -- or excitement, including sexual)
-one la palla --> la pallone (soccer ball, or possibly male sexual arrousal without release)
-one la stanza --> la stanzone (room large room)
N.B.: coin augmentatives cautiously -- many have preexisting slang or figurative, including sexual, meanings.
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Pejorative:
The following suffixes convey the idea of ugliness or a bad quality:
-accio ragazzo --> ragazzaccio (bad boy)
-astro poeta --> poetastro (a terrible poet)
-ucolo maestro --> maestrucolo (bad teacher)
-accione uomo --> omaccione (ugly man)
Other Noun/Adjective Suffixes:
-aggine (-ness) stupido --> stupidaggine (foolishness or a foolish act)
-aio (one who uses/makes/
sells/is in charge of) forno --> fornaio (baker)
-anza/enza (makes abstract) vedova --> vedovanza (widowhood), magnifico --> magnificenza (magnificence)
-ata (-ful)
(a blow by means of)
(an action) cucchiai --> cucchiaiata (spoonful)
pugnale --> pugnalata (dagger stab)
cabrare (to zoom): cabrata (zooming or aerobatics)
-ere/ore (one who does) banco --> banchiere (banker), conquista --> conquistatore
-eria (place where) libro --> libreria (bookstore)
-ero (changes noun to adjective) guerra -->guerriero (warlike)
-eto/-eta (grove/orchard) pina --> pineta (pine grove/forest)
-ia (arts or sciences)
(marks abstactions) geologia (geology)
maestro --> maestria (masterliness/mastery)
-iccio (-ish) rosso --> rossicio (reddish one or reddish as an adjective)
-oso (characterized by) rocco --> roccoso (rocky)
-ta' (-ty) fraternita' (fraternity)
-ura bravo --> bravura (something worth of a"bravo")
alto --> altura (heights/highlands)
-uta (adjective-forming) barba --> barbuta (bearded)
http://www.mmdtkw.org/ItalGram.html#Augmentatives
Italian suffixes
Here's an interesting and fun topic regarding the Italian language, by which it differs quite a lot from English. These are the suffixes which go to alter words (usually nouns).
They are divided into diminutivi and vezzeggiativi (to denote smallness or affection, respectively) and accrescitivi and spregiativi (to denote largeness and dislike, respectively). Because of human nature's tendency to feel affection for small people or things, the diminutivi are often used as vezzeggiativi.
Here's a basic list:
diminutivi/vezzeggiativi: -ino, -etto, -ello, -uccio. Examples: casetta (little house), bicchierino (small glass). These can even be combined: casettina (really little house). They can be applied to people: Mariuccio (little and/or dear Mario). The diminutivi can sometimes have a mildly negative connotation: donnetta (small woman, in the sense of petty). They can also denote youth: dottorino is not a short doctor, but a recent medical graduate.
accrescitivi: -one, -acchione (ironic). Examples: librone (big book), donnone (big woman-feminine nouns tend to become masculine with this suffix).
spregiativi: -accio, -astro. Examples: giornataccia (bad hair day), tempaccio (foul weather), medicastro (quack), poetastro (poetaster). However, when applied to an adjective, -astro more closely corresponds to the English -ish: rossastro (reddish).
Although these would seem to be simple, they are not easy for non-native speakers. And not all words ending in the above are actually suffixes. For example, a signorina is not a small signora, and an aquilone (kite) is not a big aquila (eagle). In these cases, however, you can still see the connection with the suffix meaning, whereas in other instances there is no relation. Mattone (brick) is not a big crazy person (matto).
Now that you have a handle on these, you can amuse yourself by noticing how many Italian surnames have these suffixes. Rossini: small red-haired people? Gentiloni: gentle giants? Tedeschini: tiny Germans? Manacci: a family with ugly hands? Grassini: short, fat folks? Calvetti: short, bald folks?
http://smilingeggplant.blogspot.com/2008/01/italian-suffixes.html