perrito
“perrito” means “little dog” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
little dog, puppy
Also: doggy
📝 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.
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.
Vocabulary Collections
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: perrito
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'perrito' to mean the food item, not the animal?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'perrito' comes directly from the Spanish word 'perro' (dog), combined with the common diminutive suffix '-ito'. This suffix makes the object smaller, younger, or adds a sense of warmth and affection.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (The root 'perro' appeared in the 13th century; 'perrito' followed soon after as a common diminutive form.)
Cognates (Related words)
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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.