how to say “a pet” in Hebrew

חַיַּת מַחְמָד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-1.mp3″ /]

While חיה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-2.wav” /] is the generic Hebrew word for animal, חית מחמד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-1.mp3″ /] is a pet – literally, a precious animal.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-3.mp3″ /]אני גר ליד חנות מזון לחיות מחמד.

I live near a pet food shop (a shop of food for pets).

Some other more specific kinds of חיות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-4.mp3″ /] – animals – are:

חית בית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-5.mp3″ /] – domesticated animal (also a synonym for pet)

חית טרף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-6.mp3″ /] – predator – literally, animal of prey

חית בר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חית-מחמד-7.mp3″ /] – wild animal (think vilde chaye)