Part of Speech: Noun
Phonetic Transcription: - International Phonetic Alphabet: /ˈɡato/ - Phonetic Transcription (English): GAH-toh
Meanings and Usage: - Meanings: "gato" in Spanish refers to a male cat. - Usage Patterns: This word is commonly used in both oral and written Spanish. It is a frequently used term to refer to male cats.
Verb Forms: - "Gato" is not a verb in Spanish, so it does not have different forms for verb tenses.
Examples: 1. Tengo un gato negro. (I have a black cat.) 2. El gato está durmiendo en la ventana. (The cat is sleeping on the window.)
Idiomatic Expressions: "Gato" is an essential part of various idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are some examples: 1. "Gato encerrado" (Literal: "A locked cat" / Meaning: "Something suspicious is going on"). - No me dijo la verdad, aquí hay gato encerrado. (He didn't tell me the truth, something suspicious is going on here.)
Este trabajo está para el gato, no tiene sentido. (This job is pointless, it doesn't make sense.)
"Dar gato por liebre" (Literal: "To give cat for a hare" / Meaning: "To deceive or cheat someone").
Esa tienda me dio gato por liebre vendiéndome productos defectuosos. (That store cheated me by selling me defective products.)
"Andar como el gato y el ratón" (Literal: "To go like the cat and the mouse" / Meaning: "To engage in a cat-and-mouse game").
Etymology: The word "gato" comes from the Latin word "cattus," which also gives rise to the English word "cat."
Synonyms: - Synonyms: felino, minino, micho.
Antonyms: - Antonyms: perra, perro (female dog, dog).
Note: The Spanish word "gato" is used exclusively for male cats. Female cats are referred to as "gata."