perrito
/peh-RREE-toh/
little dog
Perrito often means a small canine, like this little dog.
📝 In Action
Mi perrito duerme en mi cama.
A1My little dog sleeps on my bed.
¿Viste qué lindo es ese perrito salchicha?
A2Did you see how cute that little dachshund is?
Necesitas pasear al perrito tres veces al día.
A1You need to walk the doggy three times a day.
💡 Grammar Points
The Affectionate '-ito'
The '-ito' ending is a diminutive suffix. It makes the word smaller, but also adds feelings of affection, tenderness, or cuteness. It's used constantly in Spanish!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong gender
Mistake: "La perrito (Incorrect)"
Correction: El perrito (Correct). Even though the root word 'perro' can be 'perra' (female dog), the diminutive 'perrito' keeps the masculine article 'el' when referring to the word itself, regardless of the dog's gender.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for all dogs
Even if a dog is huge, calling it 'perrito' is a very common and friendly way to show love, similar to calling a person 'cariño' (dear).
In some contexts, perrito refers to the popular food item, a hot dog.
📝 In Action
¿Me puedes dar un perrito con mucha mostaza, por favor?
A2Can you give me a hot dog with a lot of mustard, please?
Compramos unos perritos en el puesto de la esquina.
B1We bought some hot dogs at the corner stand.
💡 Grammar Points
Food Naming
It’s common for Spanish speakers to use animal names (often diminutives) for food items, like 'perrito' (hot dog) or 'pulpo' (octopus). Context usually makes the meaning clear!
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Check
While 'perrito' means 'hot dog' in Mexico and Central America, in places like Spain or Colombia, you should use 'perro caliente' or simply 'salchicha' (sausage) to avoid confusion.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: perrito
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'perrito' to mean the food item, not the animal?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'perrito' always used for a male dog?
No. While 'perrito' is a masculine noun (el perrito), it can refer to a small dog of any gender. If you need to specify a female puppy, you might hear 'perrita' (feminine form), but 'el perrito' is often used as a general, affectionate term for any dog.
Why is 'perrito' sometimes a dog and sometimes a hot dog?
The food meaning is a direct translation of the English 'hot dog.' Since 'perro caliente' (hot dog) is long, many regions shortened it to the affectionate diminutive 'perrito' (little dog) as a nickname for the popular street food.