The Spanish word 'cartita' meaning 'little letter' comes from the Spanish word 'carta' (meaning 'letter' or 'paper') combined with the diminutive suffix '-ita'. The word 'carta' itself has ancient roots, coming from Latin 'charta' meaning 'paper', which in turn was borrowed from Ancient Greek 'χάρτης' (khartes) meaning 'papyrus sheet'. This shows how the word evolved from referring to writing material in ancient times to specifically meaning a letter or written message in Spanish, with the diminutive form adding an affectionate or small quality to it.

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'carta', which means 'letter' or 'paper'. This is the base word from which 'cartita' is formed. Other common related Spanish words include 'cartel' (poster), 'cartera' (wallet or briefcase), and 'cartón' (cardboard) - all of which relate to paper or paper products. Understanding these connections can help you remember that this word family generally relates to paper-based items.

Several common English words share the same Greek-Latin ancestry as 'cartita'. These include 'chart', 'card', 'charter', and 'cartography' (map-making). All these words trace back to the same ancient root meaning of a papyrus sheet or paper. You can see how these words all relate to paper or written documents in some way, just like the Spanish 'cartita' does. The English word 'charter', for instance, refers to a formal written document, while a 'card' was originally a piece of paper containing information.