حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ
ḥayawān manzaliyymasculine
The Arabic word for pet is حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ (ḥayawān manzaliyy), which means domestic animal. Another common phrase is حَيَوَان أَلِيف (ḥayawān ʔalīf). If unsure, use حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ.
Meaning: an animal kept as a companion (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ | ḥayawān manzaliyy | masculine |
| حَيَوَان أَلِيف | ḥayawān ʔalīf | masculine |
Both phrases are used for animals kept at home as companions, such as cats and dogs. حَيَوَان أَلِيف is the more common choice in everyday conversation, as it suggests the animal is a companion.
What does it mean word for word?
حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ is made of ḥayawān, meaning animal and manzaliyy, meaning domestic or belonging to the home. حَيَوَان أَلِيف pairs ḥayawān with ʔalīf, meaning friendly or tame.
Which one should you use?
حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ focuses on the animal being kept in a household. حَيَوَان أَلِيف stresses that the animal is friendly or tame.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both phrases are masculine. The adjective comes after the noun ḥayawān.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as ḥayawān manzaliyy.
Did you know?
- In some Arabic-speaking regions, referring to a dog as a حَيَوَان أَلِيف (ḥayawān ʔalīf) can be controversial due to traditional views on cleanliness and the role of dogs in the home.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, describing an animal as ʔalīf can also be used to describe a person who is very easy-going, social, and gets along with everyone effortlessly.
- The word حَيَوَان (ḥayawān) comes from the root for 'life' حَيَاة (ḥayāh), making the word 'animal' literally mean 'a living thing'.
Examples in context
- أحبُ القطة الصغيرة!I adore the little female cat!
- هذا كلبي الجميل.This is my beautiful dog.
- هذا حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ لطيف.hādhā ḥayawān manzliyy laṭīf.This is a cute pet.
- أبحث عن حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ صغير.abḥathu 'an ḥayawān manzliyy ṣagīr.I am looking for a small pet.
Example conversation
Nour and Youssef are talking about their animals.
- نور Nourهل تملك حَيَوَان مَنْزَلِيّ يا يوسف؟Hal tamliku hayawān manzilī yā Yūsuf?Do you own a pet, Youssef?
- يوسف Youssefنعم، لدي قطة صغيرة.Naʿam, ladayya qitta saghīra.Yes, I have a small cat.
- نور Nourأنا أيضاً أحب القطط كثيراً.Anā ayḍan uḥibbu al-qitat kathīran.I also love cats very much.
- يوسف Youssefيمكنكِ رؤيتها عندما تزورينني.Yumkinuki ruʾyatuha ʿindamā tazūrīnanī.You can see her when you visit me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
