"cățel"

Translation: puppy

[Tony713682]

cățel actually should translate as pup. Puppy is simply the diminutive of pup
As an adult you would say the bitch has a pup or pups, a child would be more likely to say puppies. Both should be accepted

[splittongue]

Yes, cățel=pup, if you are nitpicker and you want puppy, then the right Romanian word is cățeluș. They are both common and can be used interchangeable. A small or young dog is cățel, a small AND young, or very small, or very young, dog is cățeluș. However all of pup, puppy, little dog, doggie, etc. should be accepted. If not, you should report it. A guy who tells on friends/colleagues, etc, is also cățel, in pejorative sense.

[KbraBass]

"whelp" would also be correct as the offspring of "bitches" (or "dams") and "sires". Ohh and "Doggy" or "Doggie" can also be found on some dictionaries.

[OsoGegenHest]

No, "puppy" predates "pup", which is a shortening. You're being a snob.

[gorn61]

Not in British English. In Br Eng, puppy = young dog.

[illexsquid]

Same in American English. I live near the sea, and when people talk of "pups" I think they are talking about seals.

[cebalanguages]

I guess from Latin "catellus", like Spanish and Portuguese "cachorro". Anyone can confirm?

[cosmo-pedant]

cebalanguages - As xavi75724 confirms "cachorro" seems to mean pup/puppy in Portuguese. Nice connection to the Latin! Note that there is an obvious similarity between "caine" (with the ["hat"] diacritic on the "a") in Romanian, and what, I believe, is a Brazilian Portuguese word for dog, that is, "cao" (with a tilde diacritic above the "a", thereby nasalizing that diphthong). [In other words, caine almost sounds like cao.]

[xavi75724]

Yes. It is so.

[Smalde]

Catalan "cadell"

[xavi75724]

It is very similar to the Catalan word for young animals "cadell"

[twovectors]

In my part of the country we use cățel for mature dogs as well. Am I the only one?

[Phil856822]

My Romanian girlfriend tells me it actually means "small dog"