Pet in Different Languages
Discover 'Pet' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'pet' holds a special place in our hearts and homes, representing the companionship and joy that our beloved animal friends bring into our lives. From dogs and cats to birds and fish, pets come in all shapes and sizes, each with their unique charm and personality. Throughout history, pets have not only provided us with emotional support but also served practical purposes, such as hunting, herding, and guarding.
Across different cultures and languages, the concept of a pet remains remarkably consistent, reflecting our universal appreciation for the bond between humans and animals. Understanding the translation of 'pet' in various languages can open doors to cross-cultural communication and foster a sense of global community. For instance, in Spanish, a pet is referred to as 'mascota,' while in French, it's 'animal de compagnie.' In Mandarin Chinese, the term is '宠物' (chǒngwù), and in Japanese, it's 'ペット' (petto).
Join us as we explore the translations of 'pet' in a variety of languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural nuances that shape our relationship with these cherished creatures.
Pet
Pet in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | troeteldier | ||
| The Afrikaans word "troeteldier" is derived from the Dutch word "troeteldier", which itself is derived from "troetelen" (to fondle). | |||
| Amharic | የቤት እንስሳ | ||
| Hausa | dabbobin gida | ||
| Hausa "dabbobin gida" (pet) derives from "dabba" (to catch) and "gida" (food), reflecting the concept of catching and nurturing animals for consumption. | |||
| Igbo | pita | ||
| The word "Pita" in Igbo can also refer to a favorite person, a close friend, or a sweetheart. | |||
| Malagasy | pet | ||
| In Malagasy, "pet" (petaka) originally meant "box, trunk, cupboard" and has also been used to refer to "valise, suitcase" and "coffin, urn, casket". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chiweto | ||
| Chiweto is a diminutive form of the word chiweto meaning "slave". | |||
| Shona | dzinovaraidza | ||
| The word "dzinovaraidza" can also be used to refer to a person who is very close to someone else, like a best friend or sibling. | |||
| Somali | xayawaanka rabaayada ah | ||
| The Somali word for "pet", xayawaanka rabaayada ah, includes both domestic and wild animals kept for pleasure or companionship. | |||
| Sesotho | phoofolo ea lapeng | ||
| The word "phoofolo ea lapeng" not only means "pet" but also refers to wild animals used for domestic purposes. | |||
| Swahili | mnyama kipenzi | ||
| "Mnyama kipenzi" is the Swahili term for "pet", and also translates to "beloved animal." | |||
| Xhosa | isilwanyana sasekhaya | ||
| The word 'isilwanyana' means 'animal', while 'sekhaya' means 'at home', together giving the meaning of 'pet' | |||
| Yoruba | ohun ọsin | ||
| The Yoruba word "ohun ọsin" can refer to both domestic and wild animals owned for pleasure or companionship. | |||
| Zulu | isilwane | ||
| "Isilwane" also means a large wild animal (beast). | |||
| Bambara | sokɔbagan misɛni | ||
| Ewe | ameƒelã | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amatungo | ||
| Lingala | nyama ya kobokola | ||
| Luganda | ekisolo | ||
| Sepedi | seruiwaratwa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ayɛmmoa | ||
Pet in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حيوان اليف | ||
| In Arabic, "حيوان اليف" ("pet") derives from the root "ألف" ("to be familiar with"), and refers to an animal that is tamed and kept for companionship. | |||
| Hebrew | חיית מחמד | ||
| The Hebrew word "חיית מחמד" (pet) literally translates to "living creature of affection." | |||
| Pashto | ځناور | ||
| The Pashto word "ځناور" also means "animal" in general and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰʷḗr" meaning "wild animal." | |||
| Arabic | حيوان اليف | ||
| In Arabic, "حيوان اليف" ("pet") derives from the root "ألف" ("to be familiar with"), and refers to an animal that is tamed and kept for companionship. | |||
Pet in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kafshë shtëpiake | ||
| The word "kafshë shtëpiake" in Albanian can also refer to a "domestic animal", such as a cat or a dog. | |||
| Basque | maskota | ||
| The Basque word "maskota" is derived from the Latin word "mascotus", meaning "animal considered to bring good luck" | |||
| Catalan | mascota | ||
| Catalan "mascota" has other meanings like "a lucky charm", "a person who brings good luck", or "a person who is loved", all coming from the Italian "mascotte". | |||
| Croatian | ljubimac | ||
| "Ljubimac" also means "lover" or "sweetheart" in Croatian, suggesting a close and affectionate relationship between humans and their pets. | |||
| Danish | kæledyr | ||
| The word "kæledyr" originally referred to domestic animals, but its meaning has expanded to include any animal kept for companionship or pleasure. | |||
| Dutch | huisdier | ||
| The Dutch word "huisdier" shares a root with the word "dier," which means "animal," but "huis" specifically refers to a "house." | |||
| English | pet | ||
| French | animal de compagnie | ||
| "Animal de compagnie" literally means "companion animal" in French, and can refer to any type of animal kept for companionship, including dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. | |||
| Frisian | húsdier | ||
| The word "húsdier" is derived from the words "hús" (house) and "dier" (animal), implying that a pet is an animal that lives in the same house as its owner. | |||
| Galician | mascota | ||
| The name "mascota" also refers to an animal that is used to attract good luck or to protect against bad luck (amulet). | |||
| German | haustier | ||
| Haustier is a compound word derived from the words Haus (house) and Tier (animal), implying an animal kept in the household. | |||
| Icelandic | gæludýr | ||
| "Gæludýr" can also refer to farm animals. | |||
| Irish | peata | ||
| The Irish word "peata" can also mean "darling" or "sweetheart" | |||
| Italian | animale domestico | ||
| In Italian, "animale domestico" (pet) translates literally to "domestic animal," but also refers to a family member in a term of endearment. | |||
| Luxembourgish | hausdéier | ||
| “Hausdéier” means “animals kept exclusively for the amusement of the owner,” and can include birds, reptiles, and fish. | |||
| Maltese | annimali domestiċi | ||
| Norwegian | kjæledyr | ||
| In Norwegian, "kjæledyr" literally means "dear animal". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | animal | ||
| The word "animal" in Portuguese can also refer to a stuffed animal or toy. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | peata | ||
| In earlier times, the word "peata" was also used in Scots Gaelic to refer to a tame animal kept for hunting or entertainment, rather than a pet in the modern sense. | |||
| Spanish | mascota | ||
| The Spanish word "mascota" derives from the Nahuatl word "mazatl", meaning "deer". | |||
| Swedish | sällskapsdjur | ||
| The Swedish word "sällskapsdjur" literally means "companionship animal". | |||
| Welsh | anifail anwes | ||
| The Welsh word 'anifail anwes' is derived from the Latin 'animal' and can also refer to 'livestock' or 'beast'. | |||
Pet in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | хатняе жывёла | ||
| The word "хатняе жывёла" has historically also been used in Belarusian to denote "domestic animal", not just "pet." | |||
| Bosnian | ljubimac | ||
| The Serbian word "ljubimac" comes from the verb "ljubiti," meaning "to love," and can also refer to a lover or a favorite thing. | |||
| Bulgarian | домашен любимец | ||
| The Bulgarian word "домашен любимец" (pet) also means "house favorite" or "home favorite". This reflects the special place that pets often hold in Bulgarian families and homes. | |||
| Czech | mazlíček | ||
| The word "mazlíček" in Czech comes from the verb "mazlit se", meaning "to cuddle" or "to caress." | |||
| Estonian | lemmikloom | ||
| "Lemmikloom" derives from "lemb" meaning "love" and "loom" meaning "creature", thus literally translating to "love creature". | |||
| Finnish | lemmikki- | ||
| The word "lemmikki" also means "darling" or "sweetheart" when used as a term of endearment. | |||
| Hungarian | házi kedvenc | ||
| "Házi" means "house" or "domestic" while "kedvenc" literally means "favorite". So "házi kedvenc" means "domestic favorite". | |||
| Latvian | mājdzīvnieks | ||
| The word "mājdzīvnieks" also means "domestic animal" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | augintinis | ||
| The word "augintinis" is derived from "auginti", meaning "to nurse" or "to rear", reflecting the close bond between humans and their domesticated animals. | |||
| Macedonian | миленик | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Slavic root *milъ, meaning "kind" or "dear" | |||
| Polish | zwierzę domowe | ||
| The word "zwierzę domowe" literally translates to "an animal of the home" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | animal de companie | ||
| In Romanian, "animal de companie" literally means "companion animal", reflecting the affectionate bond between humans and their pets. | |||
| Russian | домашнее животное | ||
| Домашнее животное's etymology is from the Old Slavic word 'domŭ', meaning 'house', and the suffix '-nee', meaning 'pertaining to'. | |||
| Serbian | кућни љубимац | ||
| 'Кућни љубимац' derives from 'кућни, куће' (home, house), and 'љубити' (to love). In the past, this word referred exclusively to dogs, and the word for 'cat' was 'маца' or 'маче'. Today, both 'кућни љубимац' and 'маца' can refer to both dogs and cats. | |||
| Slovak | domáce zviera | ||
| In some Slovak dialects, "domace zvera "means 'livestock'. | |||
| Slovenian | hišne živali | ||
| The word 'hišne živali' comes from the Slavic word 'hiz', meaning 'house', thus conveying the meaning of 'house animal'. | |||
| Ukrainian | домашня тварина | ||
| The word "домашня тварина" can also refer to a pet animal, such as a dog or cat. | |||
Pet in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পোষা প্রাণী | ||
| The word "pet" comes from the Old French word "petit," meaning "little". | |||
| Gujarati | પાલતુ | ||
| The Gujarati word "પાલતુ" can also refer to something that is domesticated, trained, or tame, not just a pet. | |||
| Hindi | पालतू पशु | ||
| The word "पालतू पशु" in Hindi is derived from the word "पालना," which means "to protect or nourish." | |||
| Kannada | ಪಿಇಟಿ | ||
| ಪಿಇಟಿ (pet) word comes from the word "ಪ್ರೇಮ" (prēma) meaning "love" and it can also mean an affectionate term of address to a child. | |||
| Malayalam | വളർത്തുമൃഗങ്ങൾ | ||
| The word "pet" comes from the Middle English word "petten," which means "to stroke or caress." | |||
| Marathi | पाळीव प्राणी | ||
| The Marathi word "पाळीव प्राणी" (pāḷīv prāṇī) literally means "domesticated creature," but can also refer to any domesticated animal, including livestock. | |||
| Nepali | घरपालुवा जनावर | ||
| The word "घरपालुवा जनावर" is derived from the Sanskrit word "पशु," meaning "animal," and the Tibetan word "གནས་," meaning "to stay." | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਾਲਤੂ | ||
| ਪਾਲਤੂ originally meant 'to tend (cattle)' and is derived from the Sanskrit root 'पाल्' (to protect). | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සුරතල් | ||
| "Pet" (pronounced "sutural" in Sinhala) can also refer to a favorite person in one's heart and beloved friend in Sinhala, akin to a "sweetheart". | |||
| Tamil | செல்லம் | ||
| Telugu | పెంపుడు జంతువు | ||
| The word "pet" is derived from the Middle English word "petten," which means "to caress or stroke." | |||
| Urdu | پالتو جانور | ||
| The word "پالتو جانور" literally means "protected animal" and refers to domestic animals, while "پالتو" also means "tame, domesticated". | |||
Pet in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 宠物 | ||
| “宠物”本意为饲养的狗，引申为泛指所有家养动物。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 寵物 | ||
| 寵物 is a loanword from English. In modern usage it is a noun for any domesticated animal kept for companionship. | |||
| Japanese | ペット | ||
| The word "ペット" can also refer to a "spoiled child" or a "kept man" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 애완 동물 | ||
| "애완" is a Hanja word meaning "to cherish" or "to love", and "동물" means "animal". It is cognate with the Japanese word "aiban" which also means "pet". In Korean, "애완 동물" can refer to any type of pet, but it is most commonly used to refer to dogs and cats. | |||
| Mongolian | гэрийн тэжээвэр амьтан | ||
| The word "pet" comes from the Middle English word "pette," which means "small animal" or "darling." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အိမ်မွေးတိရိစ္ဆာန် | ||
Pet in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | membelai | ||
| The word "membelai" also refers to a "tender embrace" or "caress" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | kewan ingon | ||
| The Javanese word "kewan ingon" can also refer to livestock or animals that live near humans but not necessarily owned, such as feral cats. | |||
| Khmer | សត្វចិញ្ចឹម | ||
| The Khmer word "សត្វចិញ្ចឹម" (pet) can also be used to refer to livestock, and is derived from the Sanskrit word "पशु" (paśu), meaning "animal" or "beast". | |||
| Lao | ສັດລ້ຽງ | ||
| Malay | haiwan peliharaan | ||
| The word "haiwan peliharaan" combines the Malay words "haiwan" (animal) and "peliharaan" (kept or domesticated), capturing the idea of a domesticated animal kept for companionship or practical purposes. | |||
| Thai | สัตว์เลี้ยง | ||
| "สัตว์เลี้ยง" (s̄at l̄īang) literally translates to "raised animal" and can also refer to animals reared for food. | |||
| Vietnamese | vật nuôi | ||
| The word "vật nuôi" literally means "a thing that is fed". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alagang hayop | ||
Pet in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ev heyvanı | ||
| The word "ev heyvanı" (pet) in Azerbaijani language derives from the word "ev" (house) and "heyvan" (animal), meaning an animal that is kept as a companion or helper in the house. | |||
| Kazakh | үй жануарлары | ||
| 'Үй жануарлары' directly translates to 'house animals' and refers to domesticated animals kept for companionship and affection. | |||
| Kyrgyz | үй жаныбары | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "үй жаныбары" can also refer to a familiar spirit that resides in the home and protects its inhabitants. | |||
| Tajik | пет | ||
| Tajik word "Пет" originally meant "animal" and only later came to mean "pet". | |||
| Turkmen | öý haýwanlary | ||
| Uzbek | uy hayvoni | ||
| Uy hayvoni is also used in Uzbek to describe any domesticated animal. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەرمەك ھايۋان | ||
Pet in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | holoholona ʻino | ||
| The term "holoholona ʻino" ('pet') in Hawaiian originally meant 'wandering animal,' referring to feral pigs in ancient Hawaiʻi. | |||
| Maori | mōkai | ||
| The Māori word "mōkai" can also refer to food for pets or people. | |||
| Samoan | fagafao | ||
| Despite being usually translated as "pet", "fagafao" can also mean "favorite" or "beloved" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | alaga | ||
| The word “alaga” also means "care" or "nurture" in Tagalog. | |||
Pet in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | uywa | ||
| Guarani | tymba | ||
Pet in International Languages
| Esperanto | dorlotbesto | ||
| The Esperanto word `dorlotbesto` is a compound of `dorloti` (`to pamper/coddle/spoil`) and `besto` (`beast/animal`). | |||
| Latin | pet | ||
| The Latin verb "petere" means "to seek" or "to ask" and is the origin of the English word "petition". | |||
Pet in Others Languages
| Greek | κατοικίδιο ζώο | ||
| The word "κατοικίδιο ζώο" originally comes from the Greek root "οικος", meaning "home". | |||
| Hmong | tsiaj | ||
| Although written identically, "'tsiaj" can refer to either a "pet" or "to raise", depending how it's used in context. | |||
| Kurdish | terşê kedî | ||
| Turkish | evcil hayvan | ||
| "Evcil hayvan" means "domestic animal" in Turkish, but it can also be used to refer to a "familiar spirit" or a "spirit animal". | |||
| Xhosa | isilwanyana sasekhaya | ||
| The word 'isilwanyana' means 'animal', while 'sekhaya' means 'at home', together giving the meaning of 'pet' | |||
| Yiddish | ליבלינג | ||
| The Yiddish word "ליבלינג" is derived from the German word "liebling", meaning "darling" or "beloved". | |||
| Zulu | isilwane | ||
| "Isilwane" also means a large wild animal (beast). | |||
| Assamese | পোহনীয়া জীৱ | ||
| Aymara | uywa | ||
| Bhojpuri | पालतू जानवर | ||
| Dhivehi | ގޭގައި ގެންގުޅޭ ޖަނަވާރު | ||
| Dogri | पालतू | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alagang hayop | ||
| Guarani | tymba | ||
| Ilocano | alaga | ||
| Krio | animal we yu gi nem | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئاژەڵی ماڵی | ||
| Maithili | पालतू | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯨꯝꯗ ꯂꯣꯏꯕ ꯁꯥ | ||
| Mizo | ran | ||
| Oromo | horii mana keessatti guddifatan | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗୃହପାଳିତ ପଶୁ | ||
| Quechua | wasi uywa | ||
| Sanskrit | लालितकः | ||
| Tatar | йорт хайваны | ||
| Tigrinya | እንስሳ ዘቤት | ||
| Tsonga | xifuwo | ||