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What is a diminutive?
In language structure, a diminutive (or diminutive form), is a form of a word used to describe smallness of the object or quality named, intimacy, or endearment. Diminutives are created by adding suffixes to a word.
Diminutives are not common in standard English, unlike many other languages, however diminutives of people’s first names are often used, e.g. Maggie (from Margaret), Suzie (from Suzanne) or Jimmy (from James). Words like mummy (mom) and daddy (dad) are also common everyday examples of diminutive forms of nouns.
How do I form a diminutive in Croatian?
The Croatian language most commonly use suffixes -ić and -čić (in some dialects also -ek), for diminutives of masculine nouns, -ica for feminine nouns and names, and -ce, -ašce for neuter nouns. As always, there are exceptions to these rules, but we’ll discuss those in a future article.
Masculine examples
nos – nose: nosić
miš – mouse: mišić
sin – son: sinčić
vlak – train: vlakić
Feminine examples
žaba – frog: žabica
sestra – sister: sestrica
susjeda – neighbour: susjedica
krava – cow: kravica
Neuter examples
pero – feather: perce
jezero – lake: jezerce
sunce – sun: sunašce
dijete – child: djetešce
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When are diminutives used in Croatian?
Diminutives are often used in Croatian when talking to your loved ones or cooing at babies. Using a silly baby voice while calling your boyfriend’s nose a “nosić” makes you sound more Croatian. But please don’t do it in public!
Exercise: Can you form diminutives out of these words?
konj – horse konjić
žena – woman/wife ženica
stol – table stolić
lopta – ball loptica
prst – finger prstić
patka – duck patkica