Hindi · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Dog" in Hindi: कुत्ता

कुत्ताkutta

Say it: KOOT-taamasculine noun/kʊt̪.t̪ɑː/

Dog in Hindi is कुत्ता (kutta). It is masculine and follows the regular -aa pattern: one kutta, two कुत्ते (kutte). A puppy is पिल्ला (pilla).

Meeting a dog in the park

आपका कुत्ता बहुत प्यारा है! इसका नाम क्या है?

aapka kutta bahut pyaara hai! iska naam kya hai?

Your dog is so cute! What's its name?
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How to pronounce कुत्ता

Say it

KOOT-taa

/kʊt̪.t̪ɑː/

Say KOOT-taa, keeping the first vowel short, like the u in "put". The double त्त is held for a moment, like the t-t in "cat tail". The t is dental, with the tongue against the upper teeth, which makes it softer than an English t.

"Dog" in Hindi: quick reference

HindiEnglish
कुत्ताkuttadog

The everyday word for any dog, pet or street dog.

कुत्तेkuttedogs

The plural. It is also the form before postpositions: kutte ko (to the dog).

पिल्लाpillapuppy

A young dog. Many people also say the English "puppy".

पालतू कुत्ताpaaltoo kuttapet dog

Paaltoo means pet or domesticated, and works for any animal.

कुतियाkutiyafemale dog

Correct for the animal, but it is also a harsh insult, so most owners just say kutta or use the dog's name.

How to use कुत्ता in real life

  1. 1Meeting a dog in the park

    आपका कुत्ता बहुत प्यारा है! इसका नाम क्या है?

    aapka kutta bahut pyaara hai! iska naam kya hai?

    Your dog is so cute! What's its name?

    Pyaara (cute, sweet) is the go-to compliment for a pet.

  2. 2Complaining to a neighbor

    हमारी गली के कुत्ते रात भर भौंकते रहते हैं।

    hamaari gali ke kutte raat bhar bhaunkte rahte hain.

    The dogs in our lane keep barking all night.

    Bhaunkna is "to bark". Rahte hain after a verb means "keep on doing".

  3. 3Before petting someone's dog

    क्या मैं आपके कुत्ते को सहला सकता हूँ?

    kya main aapke kutte ko sahla sakta hoon?

    Can I pet your dog?

    A woman says sakti hoon. Sahlaana means to stroke gently.

Mistakes English speakers make with कुत्ता

Incorrect: Mere paas do kutta hain.

Correct: Mere paas do kutte hain.

Masculine nouns ending in -aa change to -e in the plural. So kutta becomes kutte, just like ladka becomes ladke.

Incorrect: Main kutta ke saath ghoomta hoon.

Correct: Main kutte ke saath ghoomta hoon.

Before a postposition like ke saath (with), kutta also changes to kutte, even for one dog. This is called the oblique form.

Good to know

Street dogs are part of daily life in most Indian towns, and many neighborhoods have a few dogs that residents feed and look after. Pet dogs are more and more popular in cities, and more people now adopt the local Indian breed, often called a desi dog. Be careful with the word itself: calling a person kutta is a strong insult.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Meeting a dog on a morning walk in Shimla

  1. ChatPal

    अरे, डरिए मत! मेरा कुत्ता बहुत सीधा है।

    are, dariye mat! mera kutta bahut seedha hai.

    Oh, don't be scared! My dog is very gentle.

  2. You

    कितना प्यारा है! यह किस नस्ल का कुत्ता है?

    kitna pyaara hai! yah kis nasl ka kutta hai?

    How cute! What breed of dog is it?

  3. ChatPal

    यह देसी है। हमें यह पहाड़ों में मिला था।

    yah desi hai. hamein yah pahaadon mein mila tha.

    He's a desi dog. We found him in the hills.

  4. You

    बहुत अच्छा किया आपने। क्या मैं इसकी फ़ोटो ले सकता हूँ?

    bahut achha kiya aapne. kya main iski foto le sakta hoon?

    That was kind of you. Can I take a photo of him?

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"Dog" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Dog" in Hindi

Is kutta masculine or feminine?

Kutta is masculine: mera kutta, bada kutta. The feminine kutiya exists but is also an insult, so people usually say kutta for any dog, or use its name.

What is the plural of kutta?

The plural is kutte: do kutte (two dogs). Before postpositions it becomes kutton for plurals, as in kutton ke liye khaana (food for the dogs).

How do you pronounce the double t in kutta?

Hold the t a little longer, as if you paused on it: koot-taa. If you say it with a single short t, kuta, it sounds wrong to Hindi ears, so practice the pause out loud.

How do you say "Does your dog bite?" in Hindi?

Ask kya aapka kutta kaatta hai? Kaatna means "to bite". It is a sensible question to ask before you pet any dog in India.

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