-ite

Very: -ite

Level 1

-ite means “very”, with the forms -ete and -te.

How It Works

Add -ite to a describing word to say “very”. The ending changes a little with the last sound of the word.

The word ends inEndingExample
a, o-iteiporãite “very good”
i, u, y-eteivaiete “very ugly”
e-tekuimbaʼete “a real man”

It often means “real” or “true”, as in kuimbaʼete. It can also follow a negative verb: Ndaikuaaiete “I really do not know”.

It is in the welcome Tereg̃uahẽ porãite!, where the ending is joined to porã.

For a stronger “very”, use -iterei, which has its own entry.

Examples (5)

  1. Iporãite.

    It is very good.

    -ite joins iporã and means “very”.

  2. Tereg̃uahẽ porãite!

    Welcome!

    Porãite is “very good”, the usual welcome.

  3. Ivaiete.

    It is very ugly.

    Vai ends in i, so the ending is -ete.

  4. Ndaikuaaiete.

    I really do not know.

    -ete follows the negative ending -i.

  5. Iporãitépa pe nde ao.

    How nice your clothes are!

    The Academy gives this as an exclamation, with -pa after iporãite.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing -ite as a separate word.

    Iporã ite.
    Iporãite.

    -ite is an ending, so it is written joined to the word.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-iteLevel 1Very: -ite

Learn This First

The ending -ite is added to a describing word.

Words in This Pattern

-ite-ete-iterei