Search from various English teachers...
Сергей
How to talk correct about animals?
I greet all!
In English all words – the names of animals is neuters.
But I read what may to say about pets “he’ and ‘she’.
It is really so?
I see in a dictionary the word “she-wolf” what means a female wolf.
Can I say similarly “she-cat” or “he-cat”?
It will be correct or it is informal words?
Dec 12, 2015 8:02 AM
Answers · 10
1
If you really need to say what gender it is, such as if you are describing how she looks after her cubs, then you need to use something to show the gender. Some animals have specific names for males or females. So - you would say 'tom-cat' for a male cat, 'bitch' for a female dog, or ram for a male sheep. If there is no specific term, then you can use a she-prefix. That is a little literary though. I have heard it mainly used on TV documentaries. As Michael said, it would be more common to use female or male.
December 12, 2015
1
Hi,
In english you would just describe the animal as 'Male' or 'Female'
Example:
That is a male cat
That is a female dog
Hope this helps you a bit.
December 12, 2015
Yes, we refer to our pets as "he/she" because we are close to them and we know their gender. It would be emotionally cold to call your beloved pet "it".
Some "she-" forms are possible, but it's not a rule you can apply everywhere. Most of the time, it's not even necessary to mention the gender of the animal. Like Michael has said, you can just use "male/female" as an adjective.
December 12, 2015
насколько я знаю he/she используют в отношении животных в сказочных произведениях, иногда бывает в тексте когда указывают на какое то животное которое так сказать родное, типа домашнего питомца. слово she-wolf имеет конкретный перевод волчица, никогда не видел наподобие того по отношению к другим животным
December 12, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Сергей
Language Skills
English, Russian
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

How to Answer “How Was Your Weekend?” Naturally in English
42 likes · 17 Comments

Why Some Jokes Don’t Translate: Understanding Humor in English
12 likes · 2 Comments

How to Talk About Your Strengths and Weaknesses Professionally
12 likes · 4 Comments
More articles
