Prefixes modify the meaning of the terms to which they are attached.
The Latin term "praefixus", which can be translated as "on position", is the word from which the current "prefix" that we are now going to analyze is derived. Specifically, it is made up of two different parts: "pre", which is equivalent to "before", and the verb "figere", which is synonymous with "fix".
A prefix is an affix , a grammatical element that is attached to a term to change its meaning . In the case of prefixes, they are placed before the word you wish to modify. Suffixes , on the other hand, are the affixes that are placed at the end of the word.
A type of affix
The prefix, therefore, is a prefixed affix that creates a derived word. In this way, the prefix inter can be added to a term to specify that it is between something. For example: intermediate , intercom ( "I want the intermediate size box" , "We have to call the technical department: the intercom does not work") .
In our language , there are numerous prefixes, most of them originating in Latin or Greek. Some indicate a number or quantity, such as quadri or penta ( "The British boxer entered the ring and heard a cheer" , "I don't know where to place the treble clef on the staff" ).
Other prefixes reveal denial or opposition: that is the case of des or dis ( "You had too many mistakes in the last year to seek a promotion" , "The manager was dissatisfied with the project we presented to him" ).
Classification of prefixes
There are many types of prefixes that exist in Spanish. However, we can classify them into three large groups:
• Because of its origin. In this case, within this group it is usual that we find two groups fundamentally, those that emanate from Latin and those that emanate from Greek. Among the most common ones that come from Latin are «ante-«, «con-«, «contra-«, «des-» or «hemi-«. In the case of the most frequent prefixes that derive from Greek, they are «anti-«, «epi-«, «hyper-«, «hypo-«, «macro-» or «meta-«, among many others.
• Because of its position. In this modality we find two large differentiated groups: those that are directly integrated or overlap with the word they "accompany" or those that are placed separately in front of it.
• By their identity signs. Within this great classification, there are two groups: prefixes and prefixoids.
To make a long-distance telephone call, it is necessary to know the prefix of the line with which you intend to establish communication.
The correct writing
It should be noted that prefixes are written attached to the word they modify, without a hyphen. That is to say: you should write "play" and not "re-produce" . There are, however, some exceptions.
One of them indicates that prefixes can be joined with a hyphen to those terms that are written or that begin with capital letters ( "He was a mediocre lawyer in his pre-FIFA life" , "Attack by an anti-Mercosur group causes two deaths" ) .
Prefixes in telephony
Prefix, finally, is the number or code that indicates the area with which you intend to establish communication by telephone: "The prefix of the city of Buenos Aires is 11."
In this way, any person who wants to call another person who is not within their province or country must do the same with the prefix of the city or nation before dialing that person's number. where the person you wish to contact resides.