kat
/kat/
The Afrikaans word for cat is kat. Wiktionary also lists katte.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kat | /kat/ | |
| katte | plural |
kat is used to refer to the domestic species of animal. If you wish to refer to a cat in a more affectionate or informal way, you can use kittie, which means kitty.
Which one should you use?
kat is the singular form, while katte is the plural form used to refer to more than one cat.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/kat/
Did you know?
- While 'kat' is the standard word, you might hear people use the word poes in very specific old-fashioned contexts to refer to a female cat, but be extremely careful as this word is a highly offensive profanity in modern Afrikaans.
- If you describe someone as having kattekwaad, you are saying they are being mischievous, rather than describing their physical appearance.
- Afrikaans uses the word kat in the phrase die kat is in die sak, which suggests that something is settled or a deal is done.
Examples in context
- Arme kat.Poor cat.This sentence shows how to use kat to express sympathy.Tatoeba #2364450 by siener, translation #1251097 by U2FS
- Soek die kat.Find the cat.Tatoeba #4332777 by Superdooperhero, translation #1345901 by CK
- Ek is 'n kat.I'm a cat.This sentence shows how to use kat to identify oneself.Tatoeba #13838078 by rul, translation #2068371 by shekitten
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nicola and Johan are at home in the living room.
- NicolaWaar is die kat?Where is the cat?
- JohanDie kat slaap op die bank.The cat is sleeping on the couch.
- NicolaHy is so 'n oulike kat.He is such a cute cat.
- JohanJa, hy is baie lief.Yes, he is very lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries kat, katte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
