私はペットの猫を飼っています
watashi wa petto no neko o katteimasu
To say "I have a pet cat" in Japanese, you say 私はペットの猫を飼っています (watashi wa petto no neko o katteimasu).
This phrase is used to state that you own and take care of a cat as a companion.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb 飼っています (katteimasu) literally means "am keeping" or "am raising", which is the standard way to express ownership of an animal in Japanese.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In polite conversation, it is common to drop the subject 私は (watashi wa) to make the phrase sound more natural and less repetitive, as the subject is often implied. The formal way to express this is Watashi wa neko o katte imasu, while the informal version is Watashi wa neko o katte iru.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle を (o) follows the noun 猫 (neko) to indicate that the cat is the direct object of the verb 'to keep'.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi wa petto no neko o katteimasu
What mistakes should you avoid?
That verb is used for inanimate objects, whereas 飼っています (katteimasu) is used for living animals.
Did you know?
- If you want to say you have a cat without using the verb 'to keep', you could use 猫がいます (neko ga imasu), which literally means 'a cat exists/is present'. This is a very common, softer way to imply you live with a cat.
- The verb 飼う (kau) used in this phrase is a homophone for the verb 買う (kau), which means 'to buy'. While they sound identical in speech, the characters are different, and context prevents confusion.
- Japanese speakers often use the word 猫ちゃん (neko-chan) instead of 猫 (neko) when talking about their own pet to add an affectionate, cute tone, similar to calling a pet 'kitty'.
Examples in context
- 私はペットの猫を飼っています。Watashi wa petto no neko o katte imasu.I have a pet cat.
- 実は、私はペットの猫を飼っています。Jitsu wa, watashi wa petto no neko o katte imasu.Actually, I have a pet cat.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their animals.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵さんは、何か動物を飼っていますか？Himari-san wa, nanika doubutsu o katte imasu ka?Himari, do you have any pets?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、私はペットの猫を飼っています。Hai, watashi wa petto no neko o katte imasu.Yes, I have a pet cat.
- 陽太 Yotaそうなんですね！名前は何ですか？Sou nan desu ne! Namae wa nan desu ka?I see! What is its name?
- 陽葵 Himariタマといいます。とてもかわいいです。Tama to iimasu. Totemo kawaii desu.Its name is Tama. It's very cute.
