German Phrase
Wie sieht's mit Haustieren aus?
Meaning
Literally ‘How does it look with pets?’, this idiomatic question asks about the current situation, rules or possibilities concerning pets – for example in a rental contract, a travel plan, or a family decision.
When to use
Use it when you want to find out whether pets are allowed, welcomed, or simply part of the current plan. It’s common in informal conversation about housing, travel, or any situation where pet‑related rules matter.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wiesieht'smitHaustierenaus?
Wie (interrogative)
‘Wie’ introduces a question about manner or condition, similar to ‘how’ in English.
sieht's = sieht es
A colloquial contraction where the pronoun ‘es’ is attached to the verb with an apostrophe.
Separable verb ‘aussehen’
In questions the prefix ‘aus’ moves to the end of the clause.
mit + Dativ
‘mit’ governs the dative case; ‘Haustieren’ is the dative plural of ‘das Haustier’.
Plural dative ending ‘-en’
Plural nouns in the dative often add –n (or –en) if they don’t already end with –n.
🗨In Conversation
Wir haben eine neue Wohnung gefunden, aber ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob wir unseren Hund mitnehmen dürfen.
We found a new apartment, but I'm not sure if we can bring our dog.
Wie sieht's mit Haustieren aus?
How about pets?
✕Common Mistakes
Wie sieht mit Haustieren aus?
Missing the pronoun ‘es’; the verb needs a subject.
Wie sieht's bei Haustieren aus?
‘bei’ is the wrong preposition; the idiom uses ‘mit’.
Wie sieht es mit Haustier aus?
‘Haustier’ must be plural dative ‘Haustieren’ because ‘mit’ requires dative and the context is plural.
↔Alternatives
Wie steht es um Haustiere?
What’s the status regarding pets?
Wie ist die Situation mit Haustieren?
What’s the situation with pets?
Wie sieht es mit Tieren aus?
How does it look with animals?
Cultural Tip
The contraction ‘sieht's’ is informal and typical in spoken German. In a formal email or a rental contract you would write the full form ‘Wie sieht es mit Haustieren aus?’. Also remember that ‘Haustiere’ covers all domestic animals – cats, dogs, birds, etc. – so if you need to be specific, name the animal (z. B. ‘mit Hunden’).