principito
/pɾinθipito/from spelling rules
The English phrase "little prince" is translated into Spanish as principito.
principito is the title of the famous novella written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. When referring to the title of the book in Spanish, it is typically capitalized as El Principito.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a diminutive formed from príncipe (prince) with the suffix -ito (little).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the noun is masculine, the definite article el is used to refer to the character or the title as el principito.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾinθipito/
Did you know?
- While el principito is a sweet title, using the diminutive suffix -ito can sometimes be used sarcastically to mock someone. In certain contexts, calling someone a principito could imply they are acting like a spoiled or unimportant child.
- While el principito is a title, the phrase el príncipe azul is used in Spanish to describe the idealized 'Prince Charming' one hopes to meet.
- In Spain, the ci in principito is often pronounced with a 'th' sound, whereas in Latin America it is pronounced as a soft 's'.
Examples in context
- "El Principito" es un libro muy popular que fue traducido a muchos idiomas.“The Little Prince” is a very popular book that was translated into many languages.This sentence is useful for noting the popularity and many translations of principito.Tatoeba #2149102 by hayastan, translation #2149078 by Dreamk33
- El libro "El principito", de Antoine Saint-Exupéry, es la obra más traducida después de la Biblia, habiendo sido traducida a más de 260 idiomas.The book "The Little Prince," by Antoine Saint-Exupery, is the most translated after the Bible, having been been translated into more than 260 languages.This sentence is useful for noting that principito is the most translated work after the Bible.Tatoeba #1576661 by Shishir, translation #10501978 by tchrspet1
- En Argentina, muchos niños han leído El Principito durante su infancia.In Argentina, many children have read The Little Prince during their childhood.
- Mi libro favorito es "El Principito".My favorite book is "The Little Prince".
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their favorite books at a cafe.
- Elena¿Has leído "El Principito"?Have you read "The Little Prince"?
- AlejandroSí, me encanta esa historia.Yes, I love that story.
- ElenaA mí también me gusta mucho.I like it a lot too.
- AlejandroEs un clásico muy bonito.It is a very beautiful classic.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
