01
der Tierarzt
veterinarian / vet
A doctor who specializes in the medical treatment of animals; a veterinarian.
example
Unsere Katze ist krank, wir müssen sofort zum Tierarzt.
Our cat is sick; we have to go to the vet immediately.
der Tierarzt
veterinarian / vet
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is built very logically. It is made up of 'Tier' (animal) and 'Arzt' (doctor) and literally means 'a doctor for animals'.
EXAMPLE
Ein Arzt für Menschen heißt Humanmediziner, ein Arzt für Tiere ist ein Tierarzt.
A doctor for people is called a physician; a doctor for animals is a veterinarian.
Correct preposition
To describe movement, you use 'zum Tierarzt' (to the vet). To describe a place where you are, you say 'beim Tierarzt' (at the vet's). Both prepositions require the dative.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen mit der Katze zum Tierarzt fahren.
We have to drive to the vet with the cat.
Typical verbs
Common verbs in connection with a visit to the vet are '(ein Tier) untersuchen lassen' (to have an animal examined), 'behandeln lassen' (to have treated), or 'impfen lassen' (to have vaccinated).
EXAMPLE
Ich lasse meinen Hund jedes Jahr beim Tierarzt impfen.
I have my dog vaccinated at the vet's every year.
Compare with
Tierarzt vs Tierärztin
veterinarian
'der Tierarzt' and 'die Tierärztin' both refer to a person who treats sick or injured animals. The most important difference is grammatical and natural gender: 'der Tierarzt' refers to a man, or can sometimes stand for the profession in general. 'die Tierärztin' explicitly refers to a woman. The words can be confused because they mean the same profession. If the person is known, choose the appropriate form: a man is a 'Tierarzt', a woman is a 'Tierärztin'.
Tierarzt
Der Tierarzt untersucht heute unseren Hund wegen des Hustens.
The vet is examining our dog today because of its cough.
Tierärztin
Die Tierärztin erklärt mir, wie ich der Katze die Tabletten geben soll.
The vet explains to me how I should give the cat the tablets.
In real life
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