use Data::Dumper; %pets = ("dog", 1, "cat", 2, "pony", 2, "dog", 2,); print Dumper(\%pets); $pets{dog}=3; print Dumper(\%pets); #### $VAR1 = { 'pony' => 2, 'cat' => 2, 'dog' => 2 }; $VAR1 = { 'pony' => 2, 'cat' => 2, 'dog' => 3 };