ペットを飼っています
The English phrase "you have a pet" translates to Japanese as ペットを飼っています.
Because the subject is often omitted in Japanese, ペットを飼っています can mean either "I have a pet" or "you have a pet" depending on the context of the conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb part of the phrase, 飼っています, literally means "is keeping" or "is raising" an animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the statement into a question, such as "Do you have a pet?", simply add the particle か (ka) to the end of the phrase to make it ペットを飼っていますか.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, you would almost never use the word 'anata' (you) when asking if someone has a pet, as using 'you' can often feel confrontational or overly direct.
- Japanese has a unique concept called ペットロス, a loan-phrase referring to the specific grief of losing a pet, which is treated as a recognized psychological state.
- The verb 飼う (kau), used in 飼っています, is a homophone for the verb meaning 'to buy', though they are written with different kanji.
Examples in context
- ペットを飼っていますか。Do you have a pet?This sentence is useful for asking someone if they have a pet using the form ペットを飼っています.Tatoeba #5598833 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #953189 by CK
- 陽太さんはペットを飼っています。Youta-san wa petto o katte imasu.Youta has a pet.
- 彼は家でペットを飼っています。Kare wa ie de petto o katte imasu.He has a pet at home.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are talking about their hobbies at school.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんはペットを飼っていますか。Misaki-san wa petto o katte imasu ka.Do you have a pet, Misaki?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、白い猫を飼っています。Hai, shiroi neko o katte imasu.Yes, I have a white cat.
- 陽太 Yotaいいですね。私も犬を飼っています。Ii desu ne. Watashi mo inu o katte imasu.That's nice. I have a dog too.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さんもペットを飼っていますね。Yota-san mo petto o katte imasu ne.So you have a pet too, Yota.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
