perro salvaje
/pero salbaxe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "wild dog" is translated into Spanish as perro salvaje.
perro salvaje refers to a dog that lives in nature and is not domesticated by humans.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of perro (dog) and salvaje (wild).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix -s, resulting in perros salvajes. If the dog is specifically female, the noun changes to the feminine form perra, making the phrase perra salvaje.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone a perro is a slang way to describe a person who is promiscuous or a 'dog' in the romantic sense.
- If the word perro indeed stems from the Iberian language, it might be a linguistic relative of the Spanish word zorro, meaning 'fox'.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, a 'wild dog' might not be called a perro salvaje but rather a perro feral if it is a domestic dog that has returned to a wild state.
Examples in context
- En la selva, es común encontrar perros salvajes cazando en manada.In the jungle, it is common to find wild dogs hunting in a pack.
- En la región, es común ver perros cimarrones vagando por los campos en busca de comida.In the region, it is common to see wild dogs wandering through the fields looking for food.
- El perro salvaje corre por el bosque.The wild dog runs through the forest.
- Vimos un perro salvaje en el bosque.We saw a wild dog in the forest.
- Ese perro salvaje vive en la montaña.That wild dog lives in the mountain.
- El perro salvaje huyó de la fogata.The wild dog fled from the campfire.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are hiking in a nature reserve.
- MaríaMira, hay un perro salvaje allí.Look, there is a wild dog over there.
- AlejandroEs muy grande, María.It is very big, Maria.
- MaríaCreo que es un perro salvaje africano.I think it is an African wild dog.
- AlejandroVamos a mantener la distancia, Alejandro.Let's keep our distance, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perro, salvaje, CC BY-SA 4.0.
