ho un cane
The English phrase "I have a dog" is translated into Italian as ho un cane.
This phrase is used to state that you own a dog.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ho is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb avere, which means "I have".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Italian, the subject pronoun io (I) is often omitted because the verb conjugation ho already indicates that the subject is the first-person singular.
Did you know?
- The verb avere used in ho un cane is also used for physical and emotional states, such as ho fame for 'I am hungry' and ho paura for 'I am afraid'.
- If you wanted to say 'I have a female dog', you would change the phrase to ho una cagna, but be careful, as this word is also frequently used as a vulgar insult in Italian.
- If you call someone a cane in a sports context, you are not calling them a loyal companion but saying they are exceptionally bad at the game.
Examples in context
- Io ho un cane.I have a dog.This sentence shows how to include the subject pronoun.Tatoeba #1831046 by Guybrush88, translation #378502 by CK
- Ho un cane e un gatto.I have a dog and a cat.This sentence demonstrates how to list multiple animals.Tatoeba #1831035 by Guybrush88, translation #441581 by CK
- Ho un cane e due gatti.I have a dog and two cats.This sentence shows how to list a dog and multiple cats.Tatoeba #374209 by Pharamp, translation #257247 by CK
- Ho un cane adorabile!I have an adorable dog!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are talking about their pets.
- AlessandroChiara, tu hai degli animali?Chiara, do you have any pets?
- ChiaraSì, ho un cane molto dolce.Yes, I have a very sweet dog.
- AlessandroChe bello! Di che razza è?How nice! What breed is it?
- ChiaraÈ un Golden Retriever.It is a Golden Retriever.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
