私の猫
watashi no neko
In Japanese, "my cat" is translated as 私の猫 (watashi no neko).
The phrase is used to refer to a cat that belongs to the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun watashi (I), the possessive particle no and the noun neko (cat).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Watakushi no neko is a more formal way to say "my cat" than Watashi no neko. Atashi no neko is an informal way to say "my cat". Boku no neko and Ore no neko are informal ways to say "my cat". Male speakers often use boku no neko instead of watashi no neko in casual conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make 私の猫 the subject of a sentence, you add the topic particle wa (は) or the subject particle ga (が) after it.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi no neko
Did you know?
- The word neko is actually part of a larger family of words including neko-jita, which literally means 'cat tongue'. It is used to describe someone who is a very picky or fastidious eater.
- In Japanese, people often refer to their own pets by name rather than using a possessive phrase like watashi no neko. Using a possessive phrase can sometimes make the cat sound like a piece of property rather than a family member.
- In the Edo period, cats were highly prized for protecting silk warehouses from mice. This history contributed to the deep cultural affection for 猫 ('neko') seen in Japanese art and folklore.
Examples in context
- これは私の猫です。This is my cat.This sentence is useful for identifying the cat.Tatoeba #757782 by arihato, translation #712344 by papabear
- 私の猫、エビが大好きなの。My cat loves shrimp.This sentence is useful for describing a preference of the cat.Tatoeba #9738192 by small_snow, translation #3820840 by CK
- 私の猫はおもちゃが大好きなの。My cat loves toys.Tatoeba #8635741 by small_snow, translation #1806274 by Spamster
- Watashi no neko wa kawaii desu. (私の猫はかわいいです。)My cat is cute.
- Atashi no neko wa yasashii ne. (あたしの猫は優しいね。)My cat is gentle, you know.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui shows Yota a photo on her phone.
- 結衣 Yui見て、私の猫、可愛くない？Mite, watashi no neko, kawaikunai?Look, isn't my cat cute?
- 陽太 Yota本当だ！すごく可愛いね。Hontō da! Sugoku kawaii ne.You're right! It's really cute.
- 結衣 Yui私の猫はとても甘えん坊なんだよ。Watashi no neko wa totemo amaenbō nanda yo.My cat is very clingy.
- 陽太 Yotaいいなあ。僕も猫が欲しいよ。Ii nā. Boku mo neko ga hoshii yo.Lucky you. I want a cat too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
