gattu
/ˈʔat.tu/masculine
The Sicilian word for cat is gattu. It is also spelled jattu.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Sicilian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gattu | /ˈʔat.tu/ /ˈjat.tu/ |
masculine |
| jattu | /ˈjat.tu/ /ˈɲat.tu/ |
masculine, alternative form |
The term refers to the domestic species of cat.
Which one should you use?
jattu is an alternative spelling of gattu.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the word is gatta.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈʔat.tu/.
Did you know?
- The shift from gattu to jattu demonstrates how Sicilian phonology evolved differently from Standard Italian, where the word remains gatto.
- In some Sicilian idioms, the word gattu is used in expressions to describe someone who is sly or cunning, similar to the English use of 'cat' in 'cat burglar'.
- The Sicilian word gattu is a result of sonorization, where the hard 'c' sound in Late Latin cattus shifted to a softer 'g' sound.
Examples in context
- U gattu dormi ncoppu u lettu.The cat is sleeping on the bed.
Example conversation
Maria and Salvatore are talking about a pet in the garden.
- MariaSalvatore, vide u gattu!Salvatore, look at the cat!
- SalvatoreUnni è u gattu?Where is the cat?
- MariaÈ sutta l'alberu.It is under the tree.
- SalvatoreÈ un gattu bellu.It is a beautiful cat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries gattu, jattu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gattu, jattu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
