estimado
/estiˈmado/
The English phrase 'dear in a letter' is translated into Spanish as estimado.
estimado is a formal salutation used at the beginning of a letter to address someone politely. In formal Spanish letters, it is frequently followed by a title, such as Sr. or Sra., and the person's surname.
Which one should you use?
While estimado is used for formal or professional correspondence, the word querido is used for friends and family to mean 'Dear' or 'Beloved'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on who you are addressing. Use estimada if the person is female. Use estimados when addressing a group of men or a mixed-gender group, and use estimadas when addressing a group consisting only of women. In modern formal correspondence where the gender is unknown or to be inclusive, the slash estimado/a is sometimes used.
How do you pronounce it?
/estiˈmado/
Did you know?
- The word estimado shares a root with the English word 'estimate', suggesting that the person you are writing to is someone you hold in high value or high regard.
- In some formal Spanish letters, the greeting estimado is followed by a colon (:) rather than a comma (,). Using a comma is a common Anglicism influenced by English writing standards.
- In very formal Spanish business letters, it is common to use distinguido instead of estimado to show an even higher level of professional distance and respect.
Examples in context
- Estimado señor García,Dear Mr. Garcia,
- Estimado cliente,Dear customer,
- Estimado director de la empresa,Dear director of the company,
Example conversation
Lucía is asking Alejandro for advice on a formal email.
- Lucía¿Cómo debería empezar este correo?How should I start this email?
- AlejandroPuedes usar estimado señor para ser profesional.You can use dear sir to be professional.
- LucíaGracias, Alejandro, me servirá mucho.Thanks, Alejandro, that will be very helpful.
- AlejandroDe nada, Lucía, buena suerte.You're welcome, Lucía, good luck.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry estimado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries estimado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
