don
/ˈdon/
In Spanish, don.
Don can be used in combination with a person's name to address them formally.
Meaning: put on clothes (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdon/
Did you know?
- The honorific title don is actually a linguistic descendant of the Latin word for 'house', domus.
- While don can be a title of respect, using it ironically or with a child's name can be a common way to tease someone for acting too mature.
- The honorific don is always placed before a first name, whereas the formal title señor is typically used with the surname.
Examples in context
- ¡No metas la nariz donde no debes!Don’t stick your nose where it has no business!Tatoeba #3373858 by cueyayotl, translation #3446738 by pauldhunt
- Se llamó don Quijote de la Mancha.He was called Don Quixote of La Mancha.This sentence uses don as an honorific title for a person.Tatoeba #5947024 by arh, translation #9594074 by DJ_Saidez
- Por favor, no me eviten por tener este don.Please don’t shun me because I have this gift.This sentence uses don to mean a gift or talent.Tatoeba #10268265 by Seael, translation #6112558 by Wagner1994
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are getting ready for a party.
- LucíaYa me voy a don el vestido.I am going to put on the dress now.
- Daniel¿Y tú no te don la chaqueta?And you aren't putting on the jacket?
- LucíaNo, hace demasiado calor hoy.No, it is too hot today.
- DanielEstá bien, entonces nos vamos ya.All right, then let's go now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry don, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries don, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
