Hermanito?

[Anastacio]

The boyfriend of my lasses sister has now began calling me Hermanito. I refer to him as hermano when on the phone, and sometimes in person.
Would Hermanito be little brother or distant brother or other?
In my mind I automatically consider this to be something I would be calling him, little brother (he is half my age), Hermano = brother 'equal'. hermanito= little brother 'younger brother'.

Little Brother?
Distant brother?
Brother down the family?
Or just another way of saying brother?

Anyone any experience with this and how it is directed.

If I'm honest I hadnt come across hermanito until very recently.

 

[Norma Rosa]

The boyfriend of my lasses sister has now began calling me Hermanito. I refer to him as hermano when on the phone, and sometimes in person.
Would Hermanito be little brother or distant brother or other?
In my mind I automatically consider this to be something I would be calling him, little brother (he is half my age), Hermano = brother 'equal'. hermanito= little brother 'younger brother'.

Little Brother?
Distant brother?
Brother down the family?
Or just another way of saying brother?

Anyone any experience with this and how it is directed.

If I'm honest I hadnt come across hermanito until very recently.

It's a term of endearment. Very sweet. It means "little brother" but in this case it has nothing to do with age.

 

[Anastacio]

It's a term of endearment. Very sweet. It means "little brother" but in this case it has nothing to do with age.

Oh that's cool. I thought he was possibly getting ahead of himself and trying to consider himself as an elder or authority in our relationship.
You can understand my confusion but that is really nice to hear, thankyou.

Would hermanita be regarded in the same thought, or intention?

To call my lasses sister hermanita would be wrong, right, the same as hermano?
Is it normal? Like I say, in 7 years I haven't come across it until now but it seems like a nice endearing calling.

 

[Gilles Beaulieu]

Y porque no Asnastaciotito

 

[Norma Rosa]

Oh that's cool. I thought he was possibly getting ahead of himself and trying to consider himself as an elder or authority in our relationship.
You can understand my confusion but that is really nice to hear, thankyou.

Would hermanita be regarded in the same thought, or intention?

Yes, but don't say it unless you mean it. Remember that it is a way to show affection.
It surprises me that you have not heard this before.

 

[Anastacio]

It surprises me that you have not heard this before.

Yeh, me also. I hear it bounced around with regards to other family members, adults and the kids but not in the brotherly sense, not sure why. It just sounded nice and so I thought I'd check it out. Just got off the phone with him now and he didn't call me it this time, maybe just a once a day word or something, lol. Who knows!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the education, I'm growing every day!

 

[MerengueDutchie]

Hermano or primo (depending upon the family connection) is what you're supposed to be called if you're well integrated into the family.

Introductions by your brother-in-law are normally; this is Anastacio, he is married to my wife's sister or some such, indicating to the new person you're very close family.

 

[Marianopolita]

Diminutives are a vital part of Spanish----

Diminutives are a vital part of the Spanish language and what fascinates me more is when you compare its evolution from Latin and its usage in other Latin languages. Spanish reigns! I too am surprised you (Anastacio) never heard "hermanito" and other diminutive forms prior to now. How can this be? The usage of diminutives and its various forms are almost a staple of Spanish speech.

Each country and/ or region is different though and even the meaning could vary when used or not. Keep in mind there are no rules per se to form the diminutive in Spanish but there are trends. Hopefully you won't spell the forms incorrectly like commonly seen on the board and use "s" when it should be "c". For example, amorcito (correct spelling) and NOT amorsito, corazoncito (correct spelling) and NOT corazonsito.

There are many examples of diminutives. Even ahorita is a diminutive derived from the adverb "ahora" which is considered uncommon in Spanish to form a diminutive from an adverb. As well, the usage is only in certain regions and if heard in others it's a spill over.



-marianoP.

 

[MaineGirl]

on "ahora"

Not to hijack but the meaning of "ahora" and"ahorita" vary depending on country. I am no expert, but I learned Spanish in Venezuela where "ahorita" meant "right now" and "ahora" meant "at some point". Whereas in DR that is the reverse. "Ahorita" means at some point and "ahora" means "right now".

 

[Marianopolita]

MaineGirl-----

You are not hijacking the thread because "diminutives" is the underlying theme in the OP's question about the usage/ meaning of hermanito.

I think you may want to verify that regarding Venezuela. Your base distinction about the meaning is correct but "ahorita" in Venezuela can also mean later on or in a short while depending on the context and how the speaker says it. Tone is key- if you ask someone to do something and s/he says "ahorita" in away that's mellow and non interested gives the nuance of "yes, I will do it but don't bother me and not right now". Lo hago ahorita. This usage is heard in Venezuela as well to my knowledge.

Personally, I stay away from usage of "ahorita" in general just from a grammatical perspective. It's not considered the best usage of Spanish but that's a different topic all together.


----MP.

 

[MaineGirl]

MP, I lived there for a year in the nineties, and I can tell you in my family and social circle, what I have posted is correct for usage. Since then who knows. All I know is that in the DR, I often was confused until someone kindly pointed out I was hearing "ahorita" and that meant "no time soon". I always thought "great, this will get done today!" I was wrong.

 

[Marianopolita]

Lo reconozco....

Yes, I did acknowledge that what you stated is correct but I am also including that 'ahorita' in Venezuela could also have the meaning I mentioned.

What I find interesting in Venezuela is the big gap between Caracas and other areas combined including what is considered "los campos" (areas outside of the larger cities). Venezuela does not have as many linguistic regions as some of the other big Spanish-speaking countries such as Colombia, Mexico and Argentina but the subtleties of speech are key and ahorita is a perfect example.


----MP.

 

[MaineGirl]

I was in Valencia. At that time the soap "Por estas calles" was running and I learned many creative expressions from that show. I loved living in that city and wish I could return. Alas the prices of the tickets are astronomical and the economic conditions are a bit too dire for a schoolteacher's salary to deal with. My family there only ever wants me to stay for a month, and with a suitcase of dollars in one hand, I can hardly blame them but I cannot do that right now.

 

[Marianopolita]

I hear you.....

I spent some time in Isla de Margarita- an interesting experience. Los margarite?os... ummmm no voy a decir mucho.

Anyway to end this I just tell those who ask about the ahora vs. ahorita differences to just be generic and people will undertsand through the context of speech:


ahora- now

ahora mismo- right now

....and anything else is regional.


----MP.

 

[Hillbilly]

It could even be "cu?o" = new speak for cu?ado...and oh-so-close to the "other" word!!

Personally, if I were the elder, I would not appreciate it. I would tell the little fuc*er, I am the elder, the one with the degrees and the paymaster, You may call me Se?or, don, cu?ado, or Ingeniero or Licenciado...but not "hermanito"!" I do not like all this informality.

I was brought up in a different world and I still call male friends my age or thereabouts, Sir or Mr., and occasionally by their given names as familiarity grows.
Women are Ma'am, Do?a, Se?orita, Se?ora unless otherwise instructed. However, familiarity will bring on the "querida", "dulce amor m?o" and such...of course, we are a romantic country.

HB, kind of curmudgeony today...