Top 10 German Pets: Haustiere Vocabulary
Which pet do Germans love the most, the cat or the dog? This lesson counts down the ten most popular pets (beliebteste Haustiere) in Germany and teaches you their German names. A bonus tip shows you how to say male and female animals.
Haustier = House + Animal
Das Haustier (pet) is made of das Haus (house) and das Tier (animal).
The Top 10 Pets in Germany
| Rank | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | die Katze | cat, the most popular pet in Germany |
| 2 | der Hund | dog (for example der Deutsche Schäferhund, German Shepherd) |
| 3 | das Kaninchen | rabbit |
| 4 | das Meerschwein / das Meerschweinchen | guinea pig |
| 5 | der Hamster | hamster, especially popular with children |
| 6 | der Ziervogel | pet bird, for example der Wellensittich |
| 7 | der Fisch | fish (ein Fisch, zwei Fische) |
| 8 | die Reptilien | reptiles: die Schildkröte (turtle), die Echse (lizard), die Schlange (snake), das Krokodil (crocodile) |
| 9 | die Maus | mouse |
| 10 | die Spinne | spider (das Spinnennetz is the spider web) |
The ending -chen, as in Meerschweinchen and Kaninchen, makes a word smaller and cuter. It is called a diminutive.
Pets Around the World
| Country | Pet |
|---|---|
| Peru and Bolivia | das Alpaka (alpaca) |
| Egypt | die Taube (pigeon) |
| China | die Grille (cricket) |
| Mexico | das Pferd (horse) |
| Australia, now in many countries | der Kurzkopfgleitbeutler (sugar glider) |
| Japan | die Eule (owl) |
The long word Kurzkopfgleitbeutel is made of kurz (short), Kopf (head), gleiten (to glide) and Beutel (pouch, like the kangaroo has).
Bonus Tip: Male and Female Animals
For the gender of animals do not say Mann or Frau. Use das Männchen (male animal) and das Weibchen (female animal). Take the plural of the animal and add Männchen or Weibchen: das Katzen-Männchen, das Katzen-Weibchen, das Elefanten-Männchen, das Elefanten-Weibchen. Specific names exist (for example der Kater for a male cat), but they are not important to learn.
What to Learn Next
Learn how to build plurals in German Plural Rules and talk about yourself with Talk About Your Hobbies in German. Review Der, Die, Das: German Genders Explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular pet in Germany?
The cat (die Katze) is number one. The dog (der Hund) is number two.
How do you say pet in German?
Das Haustier, from das Haus (house) and das Tier (animal).
How do you say guinea pig in German?
Das Meerschwein, often das Meerschweinchen. The ending -chen makes it sound cuter.
How do I say male and female animals in German?
Use das Männchen and das Weibchen: das Katzen-Männchen, das Katzen-Weibchen.
What is the German word for sugar glider?
Der Kurzkopfgleitbeutler, a long word made of four words: short, head, glide and pouch.
Want to talk about your daily life in German? Our A1 German online course teaches you step by step.
