When people ask how do you say pet in Spanish, the most common answer is “mascota.So ” Whether you are talking about a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, fish, or any other animal kept for companionship, pet in Spanish is “mascota. ” It is one of the most useful everyday words for travelers, students, pet owners, and anyone learning Spanish No workaround needed..
Introduction to Saying “Pet” in Spanish
So, the Spanish word for pet is mascota. In real terms, it is pronounced roughly like mah-SKOH-tah, with the stress on the second syllable: sko. Like many Spanish nouns, mascota changes depending on whether you are talking about one animal or several animals, and whether the animal is referred to as masculine or feminine Simple, but easy to overlook..
For example:
- Mi mascota = My pet
- Tu mascota = Your pet
- La mascota = The pet, usually referring to a female animal
- El mascota = The pet, usually referring to a male animal
- Las mascotas = The pets
- Los mascotas = The pets, usually referring to male animals or a mixed group
Although mascota is grammatically a feminine noun, it can refer to male animals too. To give you an idea, if you are talking about a male dog, you might say mi mascota es un perro or simply mi mascota es macho But it adds up..
The Basic Translation: “Mascota”
If you want to say pet in Spanish, use mascota. This word applies to many companion animals.
Examples:
-
I have a pet.
Tengo una mascota. -
She has a pet cat.
Ella tiene un gato mascota. -
He loves his pet.
Él ama a su mascota. -
We adopted a pet.
Adoptamos una mascota. -
Do you have a pet?
¿Tienes una mascota?
In Spanish, the word mascota is very natural in everyday conversation. You can use it whether you are speaking formally or casually, and it works across many Spanish-speaking countries That's the whole idea..
Masculine and Feminine Forms of “Mascota”
Spanish nouns usually have grammatical gender, and mascota is grammatically feminine. So in practice, when using articles and adjectives, you often use feminine forms.
Feminine Form
Use la mascota when referring to a female pet or a general pet in a feminine grammatical sense And that's really what it comes down to..
Examples:
-
La mascota duerme en la cocina.
The pet sleeps in the kitchen. -
Mi mascota es muy cariñosa.
My pet is very affectionate. -
La mascota necesita agua.
The pet needs water.
Masculine Form
Although mascota is feminine by grammar, you can use el before it in some cases because the word begins with a stressed “a” sound. Practically speaking, this is a common Spanish rule. On the flip side, when using adjectives, the adjective often remains feminine if the noun is grammatically feminine.
Examples:
-
El mascota está en el parque.
The pet is at the park. -
El mascota es pequeño.
The pet is small.
This can look confusing to beginners because pequeño is masculine, but the noun mascota is feminine. In practice, many speakers may say la mascota es pequeña, especially when referring to a specific female animal or when avoiding confusion.
Plural Form: “Mascotas”
To say pets in Spanish, change mascota to mascotas.
Examples:
-
I have two pets.
Tengo dos mascotas. -
They have many pets.
Ellos tienen muchas mascotas. -
The pets are playing.
Las mascotas están jugando. -
We love our pets.
Amamos a nuestras mascotas.
The plural is straightforward because Spanish often adds -s to words ending in a vowel. Since mascota ends in -a, the plural becomes mascotas.
Common Words Related to “Pet” in Spanish
Learning mascota is a great start, but there are many related words you may hear when talking about pets.
Mascotero / Mascotera
Mascotero means someone who takes care of pets or animals, such as a pet sitter, kennel worker, or animal caretaker It's one of those things that adds up. Nothing fancy..
-
El mascotero cuidó al perro.
The pet caretaker took care of the dog. -
La mascotera llevó al gato al veterinario.
The pet caretaker took the cat to the vet Less friction, more output..
Tienda de Mascotas
Tienda de mascotas means pet store Not complicated — just consistent..
- Compré comida para mi mascota en la tienda de mascotas.
I bought food for my pet at the pet store.
Alimento para Mascotas
Alimento para mascotas means pet food Worth keeping that in mind..
- Mi perro necesita alimento para mascotas de buena calidad.
My dog needs high-quality pet food.
Veterinario / Veterinaria
Veterinario or veterinaria means vet.
- Necesito llevar a mi mascota al veterinario.
I need to take my pet to the vet.
Juguete para Mascotas
Juguete para mascotas means pet toy.
- El gato juega con su juguete para mascotas.
The cat plays with its pet toy.
How to Use “Mascota” in Sentences
Here are some useful sentence patterns with mascota.
My Pet
Mi mascota = My pet
Examples:
-
Mi mascota es un perro.
My pet is a dog. -
Mi mascota se llama Luna.
My pet is named Luna. -
Mi mascota es muy juguetona.
My pet is very playful.
Your Pet
Tu mascota = Your pet
Examples:
-
¿Cómo se llama tu mascota?
What is your pet’s name? -
Tu mascota es muy bonita.
Your pet is very pretty. -
Tu mascota necesita ejercicio.
Your pet needs exercise Most people skip this — try not to..
His or Her Pet
Su mascota = His pet, her pet, or your formal pet Still holds up..
Examples:
-
Su mascota está enferma.
His pet or her pet is sick. -
¿Dónde está su mascota?
Where is his pet, her pet, or your pet?
The word su can mean his, her, your formal, or their, depending on context.
Our Pet
Nuestra mascota = Our pet, when referring to a feminine grammatical noun It's one of those things that adds up..
Examples:
-
Nuestra mascota es un hámster.
Our pet is a hamster. -
Nuestra mascota vive en una jaula.
Our pet lives in a cage.
Their Pet
Su mascota or sus mascotas can also mean their pet or their pets, depending on context.
Examples:
- Su mascota es muy tranquila.