French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Cat" in French: chat
le chat
Cat in French is le chat for a male or unknown cat, and la chatte for a female. Un chaton is a kitten. Miaou is the meow sound.
Meeting a pet
Ton chat est trop mignon !Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce chat
Say it
shah
/ʃa/
Shah—like English "shah". Final t is silent. Chatte is shat, with a clear t. Soft ch as in champagne.
"Cat" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le chat / la chatte | cat (male / female) Gendered nouns for cats. | Gendered nouns for cats. |
| un chaton | kitten Young cat. | Young cat. |
| les croquettes | dry cat food Everyday pet food word. | Everyday pet food word. |
| avoir un chat dans la gorge | to have a frog in one's throat Idiom—hoarse voice. | Idiom—hoarse voice. |
How to use chat in real life
- 1Meeting a pet
Ton chat est trop mignon !
Your cat is so cute!
Ton chat for a friend's cat.
- 2Pet care
Le chat veut sortir.
The cat wants to go out.
Simple need sentence.
- 3Vet talk
Ma chatte est chez le vétérinaire.
My (female) cat is at the vet.
Chatte for a known female.
Mistakes English speakers make with chat
Incorrect: La chat est noir.
Correct: Le chat est noir. / La chatte est noire.
Use le chat (m) or la chatte (f) with matching adjectives.
Incorrect: Mon cat s'appelle Nori.
Correct: Mon chat s'appelle Nori.
Use chat, not English cat.
Good to know
French internet culture loves chats as much as anywhere else. In speech, watch that chatte can be vulgar slang in other contexts—for pets it is normal when the cat is female.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Visiting a friend who has a cat
ChatPal
Fais attention, le chat a peur des inconnus.
Careful, the cat is scared of strangers.
You
D'accord. Je laisse le chat venir.
Okay. I'll let the cat come to me.
ChatPal
Voilà, il approche. Gentil chat !
There, he's coming. Nice cat!
You
Il est adorable, ton chat.
Your cat is adorable.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cat" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cat" in French
Chat or chatte?
Chat for male/unknown; chatte for a female cat.
How do you pronounce chat?
Shah—silent t.
What is a kitten?
Un chaton.
How do you say meow?
Miaou.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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