Lesson 79 · German A1-2

Pets Vocabulary

Haustiere

A lighter lesson after Lesson 78's grammar - pets are a classic small-talk and exam-speaking topic, and if you're bringing a pet to Germany, there's real paperwork vocabulary worth knowing too.

Today's win: talk about pets you have or want, and know the basic vocabulary for registering a dog in Germany.

Core pet nouns

der Hunddogdie Katzecat
der Vogelbirddas Haustierpet

Talking about pets

Ich habe einen Hund. (reusing haben + accusative, Lesson 7)
Hast du Haustiere? (Do you have pets?)
Ich hätte gern eine Katze. (I'd like to have a cat - a softened "hätte gern," similar spirit to würde gerne, Lesson 65)

A practical note: registering a dog

Many German cities require dog registration (Hundeanmeldung) and charge an annual dog tax (Hundesteuer) - genuinely worth knowing before bringing or getting a dog:

Ich möchte meinen Hund anmelden. (reusing anmelden, Lesson 9)
Wie hoch ist die Hundesteuer? (How much is the dog tax?)
Try it out loud: say whether you have a pet or would like one, using haben or hätte gern.

Quick recall check

1. "I have a dog." - Ich habe ______ Hund.

Show answer
einen

2. "Do you have pets?" - Hast du ______?

Show answer
Haustiere

3. What's the German word for "dog tax"?

Show answer
Hundesteuer

4. What's the article for "Katze" (cat)?

Show answer
die

5. "I'd like to have a cat." - Ich ______ gern eine Katze.

Show answer
hätte

Primary source

Vocabulary cross-checked against the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste.

Bringing a specific pet to Germany and need the real registration process? Ask your teaching agent.