señor
/seˈɲoɾ/
The English word 'monsieur' translates to Spanish as señor.
señor is a common way to address a man, similar to 'Sir' in English. It is also the standard way to refer to a man of respect or authority. In formal contexts, you might also use caballero to mean 'gentleman' or the honorific Don when placed before a man's first name, which is typically reserved for older individuals or people in authority.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of señor is señores. To refer to a woman, use the feminine counterpart señora. For a young man or a boy, you can use the diminutive señorito, which can be used to refer to a young man or a boy in a polite or sometimes patronizing way.
How do you pronounce it?
/seˈɲoɾ/
Did you know?
- While señor usually refers to a person, it is sometimes used as an adjective to describe a masculine noun that is impressive or of high quality.
- The word caballero is used to mean 'gentleman' and literally translates to 'horseman' or 'knight'.
- Using the diminutive señorito to address a young man can be a double-edged sword. While it can be a polite way to refer to a boy, it is frequently used to subtly insult someone by implying they are spoiled or inexperienced.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señorGood morning, sir
- Disculpe, señorExcuse me, sir
- Buenas tardes, caballeroGood afternoon, sir
- Gracias, caballeroThank you, sir
- El señor es muy amable.The gentleman is very kind.
- Disculpe, señor, ¿tiene la hora?Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?
- Este señor es mi profesor.This gentleman is my teacher.
Example conversation
Elena is asking a man for assistance in a shop.
- ElenaHola, señor, ¿puede ayudarme?Hello, sir, can you help me?
- DanielSí, claro, ¿qué necesita?Yes, of course, what do you need?
- ElenaBusco este libro, por favor.I am looking for this book, please.
- DanielEstá en aquel estante.It is on that shelf.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry señor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries señor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
