# How to form diminutives?



## ToriV

How do you form diminutives of Romanian first names? Specifically, diminutives of the names Silviana, Ecaterina, and Constantin, but general help is also welcome. I've tried googling it, but I can't find anything.


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## farscape

Not sure you can find a rule, it's more based on usage and practice. For some names you can trace it back to the original full form. I have here a few examples for you - easy to see that the only rule is... no rule:

(girl) fată - fetiță
Mihai - Mihăiță/Mișu/Miki
Mihaela - Miki

(boy) băiat - băiețică/băiețel
George - Georgică/Gică/Gicu
Gheorge - Gigi/Gigel

Alexandru - Sandu/Săndel/Alex
Elena - Lenuța/Nuți
Maria - Mărioara
Lucia - Luci

Vasile - Vasilică/Sică
Ion - Ionel/Nelu/Neluțu

Margareta - Reta
Cornelia - Neli

Eugen - Jenel/Jenică

Octav(Octavian) - Tavi


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## danielstan

ToriV said:


> How do you form diminutives of Romanian first names? Specifically, diminutives of the names Silviana, Ecaterina, and Constantin, but general help is also welcome. I've tried googling it, but I can't find anything.


For Silviana I don't think there is a diminutive, but for the rest:
Ecaterina - Catrina, Cati
Constantin - Costică, Costel

In fact these are short variants of polysyllabic names
and YES they have a colloquial usage (between friends or relatives).


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## farscape

Three more for  Constantin -> (Costică), Tică, Ticu, Costi


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