Dog in Spanish: Meaning, Pronunciation, and Everyday Life

What Is Dog in Spanish

Male is perro and female is perra.
One of the most pervasive and penetrative animal words of Spanish culture. It is an easy, singable word and both in affectionate and idiomatic expressions.

Examples:

• El perro corre. (The dog runs.) 
• La perra slept in the bed. (The female dog slept in the bed.)
  

Dogs are heritage and family to most Spanish culture, as they represent loyalty, friendship, and protection.

How to Pronounce Perro

Perro is PEH-rroh. It has a rolled r sound.

Breakdown:

• Pe → peh
  
• rro → rroh
  

Say it slowly: PEH-rroh.
The trick is to roll your tongue slightly on the double r.

Elsewhere in it, more in Latin America, but less in Spain.

Gender and Article

As with most Spanish nouns, “dog” is gender- and number-variable:

• El perro – the dog (male)
  
• La perra – the female dog
  
• Los perros – the dogs (male or group of both)
  
• Las perras – the female dogs
  

Examples:

• El perro es muy bonito. (The dog is very cute.)
  
• La perra está feliz. (The female dog is happy.)

Use the article (el, la, los, las) always with the gender and number of the noun.

Using Perro in Sentences

Perro can be applied to most general sentences, to animals, to pets, or even to people figuratively.

Examples:

• Tengo un perro. (I have a dog.)
  
• La perra como su comida. (The dog eats her food.)
  
• Amo a mi perro. (I love my dog.)
  

All of these are informal. Conversational uses of the word when talking about your dog or someone else’s.

Similar Words

Some of the most universal Spanish words for dog are:

• Correa – leash
  
• Collar – collar
  
• Comida de perro – dog food
  
• Ladrar – to bark
  
• Perrera – kennel or dog shelter
  
• Pata – paw
  
• Pelaje – fur
  
• Raza – breed
  

Examples:

• Mi perro ladra mucho. (My dog barks a lot.)
  
• Le puse un collar nuevo. (I put a new one on him.)
  

Idioms and Proverbs Using Perro

Perro is predominantly used in idiomatic speech and proverbs.

• Dog’s life – Vida de perro.
  
• To be an old dog (old-timer) – Ser perro viejo.
  
• Another dog with that bone – “Tell someone else that” (don’t think so).
  

Examples:

• I’m knackered, I worked like a dog.
  
• It’s a crap day, it’s raining for all weathers. (It’s a dog’s day, it’s raining for all weathers.)
  
• Don’t attempt to pull the wool over my eyes, tell someone else. (You can’t pull the wool over my eyes, tell someone else.)
  

They are spoken idioms and create humour or emphasis in the language.

Also Read: Thursday in Spanish: Definition, Pronunciation, and Typical Use

Cultural Note

Dogs as pets are normal in Spanish cultures and are considered part of the family. Practically every home owns a dog or dogs, who are family pets and are pampered like spoiled human beings.

Dogs are fortunate and protective. Just like in the Mexican dog, the Xoloitzcuintli is a cultural symbol and is believed to lead the souls to heaven in Aztec mythology.

It is also the case there in Spain, and the dogs are walked by their masters, and they have public parks where they have a sign parques para perros (dog park).

Examples:

• Los perros son los mejores amigos del hombre.
  

It is principally people who take out the dogs to walk in Spain, principally in the afternoon.

Examples in Everyday Life

Below are some simple daily sentences with perro that you can practice:

• Saqué a mi perro a pasear. (My dog for a walk.)
  
• Mi perro tiene cachorros. (My dog has puppies.)
  
• Perros corren en el parque. (Dogs run in the park.)
  

Amazing Perros Fun Facts

• Spanish perro substituted Spanish can, an archaic term still officially employed (from Latin canis).
  
• More than 400 breeds of dog are found in the world, and Spanish-speaking countries adopt the same breed name with a Hispanic twist.
  
• Firulais, derision or irony of certain cultures of the Spanish-speaking, is also applied to stray or mutt.
  

Example:

• Saw a street dog. (Vi un firulais en la calle.)
  

Last Words

Perro is easy to pronounce, it’s emotional, it’s symbolic of Spain. It’s one of the most antique and symbolic friends of humanity. And not only learn to talk about animals, you can learn from life and culture too.

FAQs

• How do you pronounce perro?
  You pronounce PEH-rroh with a “rolled” “r”.
  
• What is puppy in Spanish?
  Puppies are cachorro or cachorra.
  
• Is perro male or female?
  Perro is male, perra is female.
  
• How do you translate an average dog sentence in Spanish?
  One of the most common ones is Trabajar como un perro (to work like a dog).