gato

GAH-toh

nounmA1

cat?Feline animal

Also:tom cat?Male cat

📝 In Action

Mi gato duerme en el sofá todo el día.

My cat sleeps on the sofa all day.

Los gatos son animales muy limpios y silenciosos.

Cats are very clean and quiet animals.

Necesito comprar comida especial para el gato de mi hermana.

I need to buy special food for my sister's cat.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

gato montés – wildcat
gato doméstico – domestic cat

Idioms & Expressions

Aquí hay gato encerrado – There is something fishy going on / There's a hidden motive.

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Agreement

Since 'gato' refers to the male animal, the female animal is 'gata'. Always match the article: 'el gato' (the male cat) and 'la gata' (the female cat).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Animal Gender

Mistake: "Usando 'el gato' para referirse a una gata hembra que es tu mascota."

Correction: If your pet cat is female, call her 'la gata'. If you don't know the gender, it's safer to use 'el gato' or 'la mascota' (the pet).

⭐ Usage Tips

Sound of a Cat

To describe the sound a cat makes, use the verb 'maullar' (to meow). For purring, use 'ronronear'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: gato

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'gato' in its technical meaning (the tool)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

gata(female cat) - noun

gatito(kitten) - noun

gatuno(feline (adjective)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'gato' also mean a car jack?

This is likely a metaphorical connection. Early car jacks, especially screw jacks, often had a shape that resembled a crouching cat ready to spring, or perhaps the movement used to lift the car reminded people of a cat stretching or leaping.

¿Cómo se dice 'kitty' en español?

The most common affectionate way to say 'kitty' or 'kitten' is 'gatito' (or 'gatita' for a female kitten). The '-ito' ending makes the word smaller and more endearing.