-лка
Russian
Etymology
In the meaning of a tool or instrument, may originate from a combination of the Proto-Slavic tool suffix *-dlo (Russian -ло (-lo), e.g. мы́ло (mýlo, “soap”), ра́ло (rálo, “plow”), ши́ло (šílo, “awl”)) + the diminutive -ка (-ka).
Pronunciation
Suffix
-лка • (-lka) f
- -er (forms nouns denoting objects, generally tools or instruments, from verbs)
- меша́ть (mešátʹ, “to mix, to blend”) + -лка (-lka) → меша́лка (mešálka, “mixer, blender”)
- ве́шать (véšatʹ, “to hang”) + -лка (-lka) → ве́шалка (véšalka, “coat hanger”)
- горе́ть (gorétʹ, “to burn”) + -лка (-lka) → горе́лка (gorélka, “burner (on a stove, etc.); nozzle of a welding torch”)
- моро́зить (morózitʹ, “to freeze”) + -лка (-lka) → морози́лка (morozílka, “freezer”)
- копи́ть (kopítʹ, “to accumulate”) + -лка (-lka) → копи́лка (kopílka, “money box, piggy bank”)
- греть (gretʹ, “to heat”) + -лка (-lka) → гре́лка (grélka, “hot water bottle”)
- зажига́ть (zažigátʹ, “to set fire, to ignite”) + -лка (-lka) → зажига́лка (zažigálka, “cigarette lighter”)
- дразни́ть (draznítʹ, “to tease”) + -лка (-lka) → дразни́лка (draznílka, “teasing rhyme; (film) teaser (colloquial)”)
- (forms nouns denoting places, generally of a colloquial nature, from verbs)
- кури́ть (kurítʹ, “to smoke”) + -лка (-lka) → кури́лка (kurílka, “smoking room (colloquial)”)
- па́рить (páritʹ, “to steam”) + -лка (-lka) → пари́лка (parílka, “steam room, sauna, steam bath”)
- па́рить (páritʹ, “to steam”) + -лка (-lka) → па́рилка (párilka, “steaming room in a factory”)
- чита́ть (čitátʹ, “to read”) + -лка (-lka) → чита́лка (čitálka, “reading room (colloquial)”)
- раздева́ться (razdevátʹsja, “to take off a coat”) + -лка (-lka) → раздева́лка (razdeválka, “coatroom (colloquial)”)
- (forms nouns, denoting women performing an occupation, from verbs)
Usage notes
- The suffix is common and productive in all three meanings.
- The suffix is added onto the infinitive minus -ть (-tʹ).
- The stress is sometimes (but not always) drawn onto the preceding syllable.
- The suffix referring to places is a colloquial variant of -льня (-lʹnja).
- The suffix referring to women is the feminine equivalent of -льщик (-lʹščik).