gato negro
/ɡato neɡɾo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for black cat is gato negro.
The phrase is used to describe a cat with black fur.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the noun and the adjective must agree in gender and number. To refer to a female black cat, use gata negra. If you are referring to a group of only female black cats, use gatas negras. To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural ending, resulting in gatos negros.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡato neɡɾo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid mixing genders, such as saying gato negra, because the noun and the adjective must match.
Did you know?
- While 'gato' usually means a feline, in some Spanish-speaking regions like Mexico, a gato can also refer to a mechanical jack used to lift cars.
- In Madrid, people from the city are sometimes nicknamed gatos because of a legend about the city's ancient inhabitants.
- Depending on the region, gato can also refer to a specific style of traditional folk music and dance from the central regions of Mexico.
Examples in context
- Debajo de la mesa había un gato negro.Under the table was a black cat.This sentence shows the location of a gato negro.Tatoeba #1288330 by marcelostockle, translation #39626 by orcrist
- Vi un gato negro entrar corriendo a la casa.I saw a black cat run into the house.This sentence describes seeing a gato negro running.Tatoeba #1837739 by teskmon, translation #252501 by CK
- El gato negro se está comiendo un ratón blanco.The black cat is eating a white rat.This sentence describes a gato negro eating a white rat.Tatoeba #3762479 by Seael, translation #8566167 by guavalava
- ¡Mira ese michi negro tan gracioso!Look at that funny black cat!
- Sí, es un gato negrocito adorable.Yes, it's an adorable little black cat.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are looking at a photo of a pet.
- María¿Es tu gato negro?Is that your black cat?
- DanielNo, es el gato negro de mi vecina.No, it is my neighbor's black cat.
- MaríaEs un gato negro muy bonito.It is a very pretty black cat.
- DanielSí, es muy cariñoso.Yes, he is very affectionate.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
