How much verbal understanding do rabbits have?

[jamesewaller]

my rabbit says jump and I jump!-he says feed me,i feed him!-he tells me to fetch,i fetch!--I think I am well trained,-oh-he tells me what to think,,,rr,,rr-sincerely james waller-check out a website language of the lagamorph---

 

[LyndaB]

Yes, I have had many pet house rabbits over the past 40 years. I actually have a short video called Snow Bunnies, where they listen to what I am saying, and respond to their names:


Rabbits are like any other mammalian pet - the amount of time you put into teaching them is directly proportional to how well they understand you (but if they are inherently stubborn, no amount of education can fix that!) All pets have their independent moments, like kids - but the key to understanding for rabbits is to also learn their language, and bridge that gap while teaching them your language. Communicate with them by doing what they do sometimes, for the same reasons, and they are more apt to learn your language. Also, when you call their names, do it with the exact same inflection every time...rabbits aren't only responding to words, but also how they are spoken. House Rabbit Society has some good info on learning the language of rabbits: https://rabbit.org/interpreting-body-language-and-behavior/

 

[A & B]

I find that if I get down to my rabbits level and say his name in a certain voice, he comes running. It's adorable!

 

[Evelyn Gomez]

Oreo definitely understands "NO" but I think that might be tone. But if I ask "who wants a cookie?" he binkies and comes running!

 

[MandytheBun75]

Mandy binkies when I say "Who's the best bunny? MANDY is!!" I do it every morning when I am feeding her, she runs back and forth jumping in the air. Sometimes I will binky with her. She definitely knows her name, and the word "no".

 

[Mystical]

All of my rabbits know their names very well, and usually come when I call for them, unless they are munching on a carrot. Also, mine will stop doing something if I say No, No along with their name
e in a stern voice. Rabbits are very smart.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

As my father would say, this is a question of philosophy. Do we really know that they understand us? We don’t know their feeling.

As I would say, yes! Rabbits are smart creatures!

 

[John Wick]

Rabbits, like many creatures, can learn sound-to-action associations. So the owner's [pitch, inflection, and actual word] signals the rabbit should do/expect [something]. The signal can be a single word, an action, etc..

Rabbits unfortunately cannot learn to understand English language though; only what they've learned associations with.... But they are good listeners regardless.

 

[katlupe]

My bunny, "Rabbit" spends all day with me in a small studio apartment so I talk a lot to him. He loves to listen to music and recently I got a flat screen so when I watch videos he lays down nearby. He knows his name for sure and if I come in and say, "Look what I got for you." He comes running out of wherever he was. I can't say for sure he knows what I say but he seems to like to listen to me talking to him or reading out loud. He knows the word, "banana" I am pretty sure. And he knows how to communicate to me and my boyfriend, who he loves. Spending the time with him, one on one, has increased our bond and our conversations.