How to use prefixes correctly in Spanish? The 5 most common prefixes

Very good! Today we are going to talk about a very interesting topic in Spanish grammar: the prefixes.

If we understand how to use prefixes well, we will be able to unravel the meaning of words in a simpler and clearer way.

Today we are going to teach you what prefixes are and what they are for. We will also show you a list of 15 prefixes and talk in detail about the 5 prefixes which are used the most in Spanish.

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Let's start with the prefixes!

What is a prefix?

¿What are prefixes? Prefixes are small words that are added at the beginning of others to modify its meaning or to create a new verb, noun or adjective.

There are many prefixes, and each one provides a different meaning. 

There are also the suffixes, which are placed at the end of the word, but we leave this for another article. 😉

Both prefixes and suffixes they are used for form words: nouns, verbs and adjectives. 

Today we focus on the prefixes. You want to know what are the prefixes in the Spanish language? Well, keep reading!

How many prefixes are there in Spanish?

There is many types of Spanish prefixes and it is difficult to determine the exact amount, since the language evolves and adapts over time, incorporating new terms and forms.

Here is a list of 15 prefixes and their meanings with an example in each. We use these 15 a lot. Pay attention! 

• anti-

Meaning: Against, opposite to.

For example: Antivirus (opposite of viruses).

• Bi-

Meaning: Two, double.

For example: Bilingual (speaking two languages).

• Against-

Meaning: Contrary to, opposite to.

For example: Counteract (oppose something to balance).

• de-

Meaning: Denial or inversion.

For example: Undo (delete or unmount).

• Extra-

Meaning: Out of the ordinary, beyond.

For example: Extraordinary (out of the ordinary).

• Ex-

Meaning: Something previous that does not remain in the present.

For example: Ex-boyfriend (former boyfriend).

• in-

Meaning: Denial or lack of.

For example: Inactive (no activity).

• inter-

Meaning: Between, in the middle of.

For example: Interconnect (connect with each other).

• Micro-

Meaning: Small.

For example: Microscope (instrument for viewing small objects).

• Bun-

Meaning: Only one.

For example: Monochrome (single color).

• Multi-

Meaning: Many, multiple.

For example: Multicultural (involving many cultures).

• Post-

Meaning: After.

For example: Post-vacation (after vacation).

• Pre-

Meaning: Before.

For example: Foresight (preparation in advance of something that is going to happen).

• Re-

Meaning: Repetition, again.

For example: Redo (do again).

• Great-

Meaning: superlative, very high quantity of something or a quality. 

For example: Overpopulation (excessive population).

These are only 15 examples of prefixes in Spain, but there are many more.

Keys to use prefixes well

First of all, let's explain some general prefix keys so you understand how they work.

¡Vamos allá!

United to the word

Prefixes are usually written united to the word and without a script.

For example:

• supermarket, ex-boyfriend, remake, anti-system, overrate, predecir, timeless, etc.

Therefore, These words would be misspelled if they were hyphenated or separated.

When to use the script?

There is only two cases when the prefix has a hyphen: if the accompanying word begins in capital letter (i.e., it is a proper noun) or if it is a number.

For example:

• Pro-Gandhi, Under-21, super-8, etc.

When are they separated?

Prefixes can also be separated only in one situation, when they accompany groups of words that behave as a unit.

For example: 

• Former prime minister, anti-gender violence, pro-human rights, deputy secretary of justice, etc.

This rule also applies to own names that have more than one word:

• Pro Hispania, escuela de español (😁), pro United Nations, etc.

They do not have an accent

This rule is easy: prefixes generally they do not have tilde.

Although there are some exceptions, such as polyglot (who speaks many languages). 

Every rule has its exceptions!

They can be combined

Prefixes can be combined. They can be put two prefixes next to the word. They are also written together.

• Former vice president, anti-protaurine, anti-vaccine, etc.

You can even repeat the same prefix twice:

• Supersuper pretty, antiantisystem, supersuperthin, etc.

If the prefixes go with several words, as we have explained before, they will be written separately: Former first vice secretary of defense.

with monosyllables 

Monosyllabic words are those that only they have one syllable: sea, bread, salt, train, etc.

These words do not have an accent. They only have when there are two words that are spelled the same, one of them has the diacritical tilde: your/you, my/me, you/tea, etc.

What happens when we put the prefix to a monosyllabic word?

In this case, these words stop being monosyllable and become sharp. 

Therefore, following the accentuation rules, if they end in a vowel, -not -s, they will have an accent.

• Megaplan, superego, antigas, foresee, etc.

The 5 most common prefixes

Now let's talk in more detail about the 5 prefixes that are most used in Spanish. 

We will see their meaning, situations in which they are used, many examples of words with these prefixes and some curiosities.

Don't leave the screen, things are about to get interesting!

Ex-

Words with the prefix ex- express that someone or something has ceased to be what it was in the past. They are always nouns:

Ex-husband, ex-girlfriend, ex-employee, ex-employee, ex-boss, ex-prime minister, etc.

• Mi ex boss it was horrible. Now I'm my own boss and I'm much better off.

This prefix is ​​also used a lot with professions of the past that we no longer exercise: 

Former salesperson, former caregiver, former delivery person, former dancer, etc.

• Did you know that Brad Pitt is former delivery man of refrigerators? This was a long time ago, before I was an actor.

Furthermore, the prefix ex can be used as a proper term to refer to a former boyfriend or spouse.

Mi ex He's an idiot, but I miss him.

Great-

El prefix super-  It is mainly used to indicate superiority, excess or something that is above normal. It goes together with nouns or adjectives.

Supergood, superpretty, superhero, supermarket, supergreat, supernatural, supervision, superstar, superidea, supergood, etc.

• Mi superhero Favorite is Batman.
• Marc Anthony is a Superstar.

There is a lot of confusion with this prefix. In many media you can see it written separately from the word. This is incorrect. 

Remember all prefixes they are only written separately when they go with a group of words that are considered as a unit:

Super fashionable, super comfortable, etc.

• Am ssuper comfortable you.

It is also common to see it written with tilde. This can only be done when it is used as a noun equivalent to supermarket or a type of gasoline:

• I am going to super to buy, I have an empty refrigerator.
• La super It's cheaper at this gas station.

It can also be used as a adjective or adverb which means that something is very good. In these cases it also has an accent:

• Your plan seems to me super.

anti-

El prefix anti- means displeasure or opposition to something, someone or some quality. It can go with nouns and adjectives.

Antibiotic, antibody, anti-liberal, anti-vaccine, anti-social, unnatural, etc.

• This food has a flavor unnatural. You can tell that it is ultra-processed.
• Take the antibiotic to cure that cold.

As with the prefix super-, it is very common to see these prefixes written with hyphens in the news and social networks.

This is incorrect, they must always go next to the word without a hyphen except if they go with proper nouns in capital letters:

Anti-OT, anti-García, etc.

This prefix has a couple of considerations what you should know:

If the word that accompanies anti- Start by r, you have to duplicatecarla to keep sound: 

Anti-theft, anti-rebel, anti-mouse, etc.

• They have installed an alarm anti-theft in the office.

The second consideration is that, if the word that goes with anti- starts with the vocal i, The usual thing is to put only one i, instead of two: 

Anti-instrumental, anti-fire, anti-inflammatory, etc.

• Take this anti-inflammatory to alleviate the pain.

Pre-

El prefix pre- means prior to something. It can go with nouns, adjectives and verbs.

Yes, there are many verbs with prefixes.

Prevention, predict, pre-crisis, pre-marital, preschool, pre-university, presuppose, etc.

• stop trying predecir the future and focus on the present.
• Before we get married, let's make an agreement premarital.

Re-

El prefix re- serves to express repetition of actions, nouns or adjectives:

Reorganize, repeat offender, reguapo, rewrite, regood, reorder, redo, etc.

• This text is full of spelling mistakes. you have to to rewrite again.

In adjectives, this prefix has a superlative meaning, like the adverb .:

• this girl is very pretty. (It means she is very pretty).

We practice

After this prefix list, Now you know how to use prefixes and which are the most important. !! Congratulations!!

Plus, you're learning a lot of new vocabulary de words with prefixes, what's cool?

To finish, we are not going to leave here without proposing an exercise and for you to practice a little this vocabulary that we have seen.

It's very simple, you simply have to match the correct word with the corresponding phrase.