How to Say “Dog” in Spanish
For Spanish, the word for "dog" is "perro," and it is also a masculine noun, it is preceded by the article "el" (the). "El perro," for example, means "the dog."
It's important to note that Spanish nouns have a gender, either masculine or feminine and it is important to use the right article before it, "el" for masculine nouns and "la" for feminine nouns.
When one said "I have a dog," some might express "Tengo un perro." To describe "the dogs are barking," one would say "Los perros están ladrando." To inquire "what sort of dog do you have?" this same phrase "Qué tipo de perro tienes?" might be used.
In addition to "perro," there are several other ways to refer to dogs in Spanish. For example, "can" is a common informal way to refer to a dog, "mascota" (pet) is a more general term, "canino" (canine) is a more scientific term and "can de compañía" (companion dog) is a term used to refer to a pet dog.
It is indeed worth noting that several dialects and vernacular words for dogs exist in Spanish-speaking regions. In Mexico, for example, "chucho" is a commonly used term for a dog, whereas in Argentina, "quiltro" is a term for a mongrel dog. The term "perro" may be deemed vulgar in certain countries and should be substituted with "cánido."
When talking about a specific dog in the past or future, it is common to use the prepositions "el" (the) or "el próximo" (the next) before "perro." For example, "el perro que tuve" (the dog that I had) and "el próximo perro que tendré" (the next dog that I will have).
It is also worth noting that Spanish also has a way to express the size of a dog. For example, "un perro pequeño" (a small dog) or "un perro grande" (a big dog)
To summarize
The "perro" is the word for dog in Spanish. Knowing how to say and use this word in various contexts can come in handy when conversing with Spanish-speaking colleagues, traveling to Spanish-speaking countries or talking about pets with friends and family. It's also important to take into account the different dialects and colloquial terms that could be used to refer to a dog in different Spanish-speaking countries. Practice and exposure to the language can also help you become more comfortable with the nuances of the Spanish language.