véto
/ve.to/masculine
The English phrase "vet" can be translated into French as véto.
The term is a short form used to refer to a veterinary surgeon. When expressing that you are going to the vet, French uses the preposition chez (at the place of) instead of à.
Meaning: short form of veterinary surgeon (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
véto is an informal, colloquial term used in speech. For professional or official contexts, use the formal noun vétérinaire.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and is pronounced /ve.to/.
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'vet', which is commonly used as a shorthand for 'veteran' of a war, the French word véto never refers to a soldier. A veteran in French is called a vétéran.
- While véto is a shortened form of 'veterinarian', the French word for a 'veto' power is also véto. These two words are spelled and pronounced the same way but come from entirely different linguistic roots.
- A véto's office is called a cabinet, a word that refers to a professional consultation room rather than a piece of furniture.
Examples in context
- Je vais emmener le chien chez le véto.I'm going to take the dog to the vet.This sentence is useful for seeing how to express going to the vet using the phrase véto.Tatoeba #7745902 by lbdx, translation #2539473 by CK
- J'ai pris rendez-vous chez le vétérinaire pour mon chat.I made an appointment with the vet for my cat.
- Mon chien est malade. Je dois l'emmener chez le véto .My dog is sick. I have to take him to the vet.
- La clinique vétérinaire se trouve juste à côté du parc.The veterinary clinic is located right next to the park.
- Le véto est très gentil avec les chats.The vet is very kind to cats.
- Il faut appeler le véto pour le lapin.We need to call the vet for the rabbit.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing their cat's health.
- HugoLe chat a encore mal aux dents.The cat has a toothache again.
- ManonOn doit appeler le véto rapidement.We need to call the vet quickly.
- HugoEst-ce qu'il a un rendez-vous demain ?Does he have an appointment tomorrow?
- ManonOui, Manon a déjà réservé.Yes, Manon has already booked it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vet” translations and entries véto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries véto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
