gato
/ˈɡato/masculine
The English word 'cat' is translated into Spanish as gato. Wiktionary also lists gata and misha.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gato | /ˈɡato/ | masculine |
| gata | /ˈɡata/ | feminine |
| misha | /misa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| mishingo | /misinɡo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| mishinga | /misinɡa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| gatuno | /ɡaˈtuno/ | attributive |
| gatesco | /ɡatesko/ (from spelling rules) | attributive, colloquial, masculine |
The word is used to refer to the domestic species. gato can refer to a cat in general or specifically to a male cat. To describe things that are characteristic of or related to cats, you can use the attributive adjective gatuno.
Which one should you use?
Use gato for a male cat and gata for a female cat.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word gatesco is a colloquial way to say 'cat-like' or 'feline'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a group of male cats or a mixed-gender group of cats, use the masculine plural form gatos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡato/
Did you know?
- In Madrid, residents are sometimes nicknamed gatos if both their parents and grandparents were also born in the city.
- In certain mechanics' slang in some Spanish-speaking countries, a gato refers to a hydraulic jack used to lift vehicles.
- While gato usually refers to the animal, in certain South American contexts, it can be a slang term for a thief or a street criminal.
Examples in context
- Ése es mi gato.That's my cat.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific gato.Tatoeba #521933 by Shishir, translation #471758 by CM
- No, no es gato.No, it is not a cat.This sentence is useful for a negative identification of a gato.Tatoeba #5227197 by cueyayotl, translation #5228517 by solejar
- Mi gato me ama.My cat loves me.This sentence is useful for describing the affection of a gato.Tatoeba #11917242 by Seael, translation #11306959 by shekitten
- Tengo un gato muy inteligente.I have a very intelligent cat.
- Mi gata está durmiendo.My female cat is sleeping.
- ¡Mira qué lindo michi!Look at that cute cat!
- Encontré un gatito en el parque.I found a little male cat in the park.
- ¡Mirá esa gatita en el techo!Look at that little female cat on the roof!
- 773 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are at a pet store.
- SofíaMira ese gato gris.Look at that gray cat.
- DanielEs un gato muy bonito.It is a very pretty cat.
- Sofía¿Quieres comprarlo, Daniel?Do you want to buy him, Daniel?
- DanielNo, prefiero un perro.No, I prefer a dog.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries gato, gata, gatuno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
