Little and dear: diminutives

Polish adds a suffix to a noun to make it small or dear. The new word keeps the gender of the original:

• masculine: -ek, -ik/-yk (kot → kotek, stół → stolik, chłopiec → chłopczyk)
• feminine: -ka, -eczka (ryba → rybka, łyżka → łyżeczka)
• neuter: -ko, -uszko (drzewo → drzewko, jabłko → jabłuszko)

The stem often changes before the suffix: k → cz and ę → ą (ręka → rączka), g → ż and o → ó (noga → nóżka), ó → o (stół → stolik), and an extra e can appear (okno → okienko). A double suffix sounds even smaller or more tender: kotek → koteczek. Diminutives are very common when talking to children and about pets. Some have their own meaning: łyżeczka is a teaspoon and szafka a cupboard or locker.