Prefijos y sufijos
¿Qué son los prefijos y sufijos, así como los infijos? En primer lugar, un afijo es un elemento como un prefijo o sufijo que se añade a otra palabra. Añadimos afijos (prefijos, sufijos e infijos) a las palabras para crear nuevas palabras.
Es importante que entiendas bien los prefijos (que van al comienzo de una palabra) y sufijos (que van al final de la palabra) al objeto de hablar inglés bien. Además, la implementación correcta de prefijos y sufijos te permitirá ajustar el significado de una palabra con facilidad y sin tener que cambiar toda la frase.
Un ejemplo rápido de prefijos y sufijos para la palabra 'doubt'
| Afijo (prefijo o sufijo) | Nueva Palabra | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| / | / | I doubt you’ll be able to resolve the problem. |
| / | / | There are still many doubts, I’m afraid. |
| Sufijo adjetival: –ful. | Doubtful | I’m doubtful about your plans. |
| Sufijo adverbial: –ly. | Doubtfully | He worked doubtfully. |
| Sufijo adjetival que significa “without” o “not having”: –less. | Doubtless | We’re doubtless because we have no idea. |
| Prefijo significado “negación”: –un. | Undoubted | I am the undoubted champion of the world. |
| Prefijo significado “negación”: –un + sufijo adverbial: –ly. | Undoubtedly | Undoubtedly, you were right. |
Con solo conocer prefijos y sufijos, ¡puedes quintuplicar tu vocabulario! Como se puede ver en la tabla anterior, al usar la palabra' 'doubt', tenemos cinco palabras nuevas: 'doubtful', 'doubtfully', 'doubtless', 'undoubted' y 'undoubtedly'.
Lista de prefijos comunes
| Prefijos | Significado | Ejemplos |
|---|---|---|
| -ante | before | antenatal, anteroom, antedate |
| -anti | against, opposing | antibiotic, antidepressant, antidote, antifreeze |
| -circum | around | circumstance, circumvent, circumnavigate |
| -co | with, together | co-worker, co-pilot, co-operation, co-worker |
| de | off, down, away from | devalue, defrost, derail, demotivate, deactivate |
| -dis | opposite of, against | disagree, disappear, disintegrate, disapprove |
| -em, en | cause to, put into | embrace, encode, embed, enclose, engulf |
| -epi | upon, close to, after, central point | epicentre, episcope, epidermis |
| -ex | former, out of, no longer with | ex-president, ex-boyfriend, exterminate |
| -extra | more of, beyond | extracurricular, extraordinary, extra-terrestrial |
| -fore | before, beginning | forecast, forehead, foresee, foreword, foremost |
| -homo | same, two equal things | homosexual, homonuclear, homoplastic |
| -hyper | over, above, excess of | hyperactive, hyperventilate |
| -il, -im, -in, -ir | not, to negate, negative | impossible, illegal, irresponsible, indefinite |
| -im, -in | into, within | insert, import, inside |
| -infra | beneath, below | infrastructure, infrared, infrasonic, infraspecific |
| -inter, -intra | between | interact, intermediate, intergalactic, intranet |
| -macro | large, big version | macroeconomics, macromolecule |
| -micro | small, tiny, petite | microscope, microbiology, microfilm, microwave |
| -mid | middle, centre point | midfielder, midway, midsummer |
| -mis | wrongly, not correct | misinterpret, misfire, mistake, misunderstand |
| -mono | one, singular | monotone, monobrow, monolithic |
| -non | not, without | nonsense, nonentity, nondescript |
| -omni | all, every, all places | omnibus, omnivore, omnipotent |
| -para | beside | parachute, paramedic, paradox |
| -post | after | post-mortem, postpone, post-natal |
| -pre | before, beginning | prefix, predetermine, pre-intermediate |
| -re | again, repeat | return, rediscover, reiterate, reunite |
| -semi | half | semicircle, semi-final, semiconscious |
| -sub | under, below | submerge, submarine, sub-category, subtitle |
| -super | above, over, above | superfood, superstar, supernatural, superimpose |
| -therm | heat, temperature | thermometer, thermostat, thermodynamic |
| -trans | across, beyond | transport, transnational, transatlantic |
| -tri | three | triangle, tripod, tricycle |
| -un | not, to negate, negative | unfinished, unfriendly, undone, unknown |
| -uni | one | unicycle, universal, unilateral, unanimous |
Lista de sufijos para hacer nombres
| Sufijo | Significado | Ejemplos |
|---|---|---|
| -acy | state or quality | democracy, accuracy, lunacy, fallacy |
| -al | the action or process of | remedial, denial, trial, criminal |
| -ance, -ence | state or quality of | nuisance, ambience, tolerance |
| -dom | place or state of being | freedom, stardom, boredom |
| -er, -or | person or object that does a specified action | reader, creator, interpreter, inventor, collaborator, teacher, terminator |
| -ism | doctrine, belief, theory | Judaism, scepticism, escapism, cynicism |
| -ist | person or object that does a specified action | Geologist, protagonist, sexist, scientist, theorist, communist, physicist |
| -ity, -ty | quality of | extremity, validity, enormity, absurdity |
| -ment | condition, state of being | enchantment, argument, agreement |
| -ness | state of being, condition | heaviness, highness, sickness, staleness |
| -ship | position held | friendship, hardship, internship |
| -sion, -tion | state of being | position, promotion, cohesion, creation |
Lista de sufijos para hacer verbos
| Sufijos | Significado | Ejemplos |
|---|---|---|
| -ate | become | mediate, collaborate, create, mandate |
| -en | become | sharpen, strengthen, loosen |
| -ify, -fy | make or become | justify, simplify, magnify, satisfy, clarify |
| -ise, -ize | become | publicise, synthesise, hypnotise |
Lista de sufijos para hacer adjetivos
| Sufijo | Significado | Ejemplos |
|---|---|---|
| -able, -ible | capable of being | edible, fallible, incredible, audible, comprehensible, doable |
| -al | having the form or character of | fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial |
| -esque | in a manner of or resembling | picturesque, burlesque, grotesque |
| -ful | notable for, possess a skill | handful, playful, hopeful, skillful |
| -ic, -ical | having the form or character of | psychological, hypocritical, methodical, nonsensical, musical |
| -ious, -ous | characterised by | pious, jealous, religious, ridiculous, malicious |
| -ish | having the quality of, being slightly of something | squeamish, sheepish, childish |
| -ive | having the nature of | inquisitive, informative, attentive, native |
| -less | without, zero | meaningless, hopeless, homeless |
| -y | characterised by | dainty, beauty, airy, jealousy, hardly, dandy |
Lista de sufijos para hacer adverbios
| Sufijos | Significado | Ejemplos |
|---|---|---|
| -ly | related to or quality | softly, slowly, happily, crazily, madly, hopefully |
| -ward, -wards | direction, movement | towards, afterwards, backwards, inward, downward |
| -wise | in relation to | otherwise, likewise, clockwise |
¿Cómo se usan los prefijos y sufijos?
No hay muchos prefijos y sufijos, pero el problema con estos es el hecho de que no hay regla para su implementación correcta.
Por ejemplo; el prefijo ‘im’ nega la palabra ‘polite’ y no el prefijo ‘in’, por eso, la negación correcta para el adjetivo ‘polite’ es ‘impolite’.
El prefijo ‘im’ tal como todos los otros prefijos debe ser aprendido de memoria, sin embargo, no es difícil de recordar.
Abajo hacemos un resumen del uso correcto de los afijos (que incluye los prefijos y los sufijos), y con ejemplos.
Recuerda que los afijos se ajustan a los verbos, adjetivos y adverbios.