four-legged friend
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four-legged friend
A colloquial and often affectionate term for an animal with four legs, especially pets such as dogs or cats.
Unser kleiner Vierbeiner wartet schon an der Tür, wenn wir nach Hause kommen.
Our little four-legged friend is already waiting at the door when we come home.
The word is a compound of 'vier' (four) and 'Bein' (leg) with the ending '-er'. So it literally describes someone or something that has four legs.
Wir suchen eine Ferienwohnung, in der auch unser Vierbeiner willkommen ist.
We are looking for a holiday apartment where our four-legged friend is also welcome.
'Vierbeiner' (four-legged friend) is a colloquial and often affectionate expression. In a biological or scientific text, you would instead name the exact animal species.
Unser treuer Vierbeiner ist ein wichtiger Teil der Familie.
Our loyal four-legged friend is an important part of the family.
The word is used almost exclusively for pets such as dogs and cats. Typical verbs are 'einen Vierbeiner haben' (to have a four-legged friend), 'mit dem Vierbeiner Gassi gehen' (to walk the four-legged friend), or 'den Vierbeiner füttern' (to feed the four-legged friend).
Morgens gehe ich immer zuerst mit dem Vierbeiner eine Runde spazieren.
In the mornings, I always first take the four-legged friend out for a short walk.
dog
'Hund' and 'Vierbeiner' can both refer to a pet, especially a dog. 'Hund' is precise and neutral: you immediately know which animal is meant. 'Vierbeiner' is more casual and often more affectionate, but less precise, because cats and many other animals also have four legs. In texts about pets, 'Vierbeiner' is sometimes used to avoid repeating 'Hund' all the time. Learners may confuse the words because 'Vierbeiner' is often used for dogs. If you want to be clear and precise, 'Hund' is better.
Nach dem Spaziergang legt sich der müde Vierbeiner direkt neben das Sofa.
After the walk, the tired four-legged friend lies down right next to the sofa.
Vor dem Wochenende bekommt der Hund noch eine neue Leine.
Before the weekend, the dog gets a new leash.