Log inSign up

Mi perro es sensible al frío.

Mi perro es sensible al frío.
My dog is sensitive to the cold.
FromLesson 24inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of Mi perro es sensible al frío.

ser
to be
mi
my
el perro
the dog
a
to
sensible
sensitive
el frío
the cold

Questions & Answers about Mi perro es sensible al frío.

What does sensible mean in this sentence?
In Spanish, sensible means “sensitive,” not “reasonable” as in English. It’s a false friend. So Mi perro es sensible al frío translates to “My dog is sensitive to the cold.”
Why is es (from ser) used instead of está (from estar)?
Spanish uses ser to describe inherent or long-lasting traits. Being sensitive to the cold is seen as a permanent quality of your dog, so you use es. Estar would imply a temporary state.
What is the role of al in sensible al frío?
Al is the contraction of a + el and means “to the.” Many Spanish adjectives (like sensible) take a before a noun to express “sensitive to” something: sensible a…. When the noun is masculine singular (el frío), a + el becomes al.
Is frío functioning as an adjective or a noun here?
Here frío is a noun (the cold). The phrase sensible al frío literally means “sensitive to the cold,” so frío names the thing the dog is sensitive to.
Why isn’t there an article before mi perro (like el mi perro)?
When you use a possessive adjective such as mi, Spanish drops any extra article. Mi already marks possession, so you say mi perro, not el mi perro.
Does sensible change form for feminine or plural?
Yes. Since sensible ends in –e, it stays the same for both masculine and feminine singular. To form the plural, add –s, giving sensibles for masculine and feminine.
Could I say Mi perro está sensible al frío instead of es sensible al frío?
You might hear está sensible al frío in casual speech to stress a current sensitivity (for example, after a haircut). However, standard usage prefers es sensible al frío to describe an inherent trait.
What are some alternative ways to express the same idea?

You can rephrase:

  • Mi perro no tolera el frío.
  • A mi perro le afecta el frío.
  • Mi perro es friolero. (meaning “he easily gets cold”)
  • Mi perro sufre del frío. (using sufrir de
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from Mi perro es sensible al frío to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Spanish freeBrowse the full course