Spanish · A2 · Family moment
Gentle hands with our pet in Spanish
This guide helps parents teach their children about pet boundaries and care using Spanish. It focuses on the difference between things that are forbidden (must not) and things that are optional (do not have to).
What you'll learn
- Distinguish between prohibition and lack of necessity.
- Learn vocabulary related to pet care and safety.
- Practice negative structures in daily household contexts.
Spanish phrases for gentle hands with our pet
No debes abrir la jaula solo.
You must not open the cage alone.
Uses 'no deber' to express a strong rule or prohibition.
No tienes que acariciarlo.
You do not have to stroke him.
'No tienes que' indicates that the action is optional.
No debemos despertar al hámster.
We must not wake the hamster.
'Despertar' is the verb for 'to wake up'.
No tienes que darle de comer hoy.
You do not have to feed him today.
'Darle de comer' literally means 'to give him to eat'.
Él no debe comer nuestro chocolate.
He must not eat our chocolate.
A safety prohibition using 'no debe'.
No debes tirarle de la cola.
You must not pull his tail.
'Tirar de' is the standard way to say 'to pull'.
No tienes que cogerlo todavía.
You do not have to hold him yet.
'Coger' is commonly used for 'to hold' or 'to pick up' in Spain; 'agarrar' is used in Latin America.
No tenemos que limpiar la jaula ahora.
We do not have to clean the cage now.
Indicates a task that is not currently required.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
La jaula
The cage
Common for small pets like hamsters or birds.
Acariciar
To stroke / To pet
A gentle action for showing affection to animals.
La cola
The tail
Refers to an animal's tail.
Todavía
Yet / Still
Often used at the end of negative sentences.
Prohibition vs. Lack of Necessity
In Spanish, we use 'no deber' or 'no poder' for things that are not allowed (prohibitions). We use 'no tener que' for things that are not required (lack of necessity).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Prohibition (Must not) | No + deber + [Infinitive] | No debes tocar al perro. |
| Lack of necessity (Don't have to) | No + tener que + [Infinitive] | No tienes que tocar al perro. |
More examples
El gato duerme, no debemos molestarlo.
The cat is sleeping, we must not disturb him.
Combines a reason with a prohibition.
Si tienes miedo, no tienes que tocarlo.
If you are scared, you do not have to touch him.
Offers the child a choice (optionality).