Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| animale domestico | /a.niˈma.le doˈmɛs.ti.ko/ (word by word) | |
| animale d'affezione | ||
| animale da compagnia | /a.niˈma.le da kom.paɲˈɲi.a/ (word by word) | masculine |
In Italian, there are different ways to refer to an animal kept for companionship. You can use animale da compagnia to focus on the animal's role as a companion. The term animale domestico can also literally mean a domesticated animal, such as livestock, in biological or official contexts.
Which one should you use?
While animale domestico is a very common way to say 'pet', it can also literally mean a 'domesticated animal' (like livestock) in a biological context. In contrast, animale da compagnia specifically emphasizes the animal's role as a companion, making it a more precise way to say 'pet' than the broader animale domestico.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form animale da compagnia is a masculine noun. If you are talking about a specific female cat, you would use la gatta.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.niˈma.le doˈmɛs.ti.ko/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might assume animale domestico only means a pet, but it can also refer to farm animals like cows or sheep that are domesticated.
When do people say it?
When expressing affection for a pet, you might use phrases like sei adorabile (you are adorable) or sei un amore (you are a sweetheart).
Did you know?
- While English uses 'pet' as a verb to describe stroking an animal, Italian has no such single verb. To describe the action of petting, Italians use phrases like accarezzare which means 'to caress'.
- The word compagnia in animale da compagnia shares the same root as the English word 'companion' and the Latin com meaning 'with' and panis meaning 'bread'. It literally describes someone you share bread with.
- The word animale is derived from the Latin animālem, which relates to the concept of having 'anima' or 'soul'.
Examples in context
- Ha un animale domestico?Do you have a pet?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has a pet using animale domestico.Tatoeba #2612117 by Guybrush88, translation #953189 by CK
- Hai un animale domestico?Have you got a pet?Tatoeba #2612116 by Guybrush88, translation #2612091 by sundown
- Lei ha un animale domestico?Does she have a pet?This sentence is useful for asking if she has a pet using animale domestico.Tatoeba #2939438 by Guybrush88, translation #2939451 by CM
- Ho appena adottato un cucciolo. È un amico peloso perfetto!I just adopted a puppy. He's a perfect furry friend!
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are talking about their homes.
- FrancescoIl mio animale domestico è un gatto.My pet is a cat.
- GiuliaChe bello! Io invece non ne ho uno.How nice! I don't have one, instead.
- FrancescoVuoi davvero un animale domestico, Giulia?Do you really want a pet, Giulia?
- GiuliaSì, vorrei comprare un piccolo cane.Yes, I would like to buy a small dog.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pet” translations and entries animale domestico, animale d'affezione, animale da compagnia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (animale, domestico, da, compagnia) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries animale, compagnia, da, domestico, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
