お年寄り
otoshiyori
The English phrase old person can be translated into Spanish as お年寄り (otoshiyori).
A polite term for a person who is elderly.
Which one should you use?
Persona mayor is a formal way to say older person. Adulto mayor is a formal way to say older adult. Anciano/a is a formal term that refers to an elderly person. Viejito/viejita are informal terms used colloquially to refer to an elderly person in an affectionate way.
How do you pronounce it?
otoshiyori
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, referring to an elderly person as abuelo or abuela is a common sign of respect even if there is no biological family relationship.
- The word mayor in persona mayor literally means 'bigger' or 'greater' in a comparative sense. This reflects a linguistic preference for describing seniority through a sense of stature or importance rather than just age.
- While anciano is a respectful term, using it too frequently in casual conversation can sometimes make the person sound like a character in a historical novel. In everyday social settings, many prefer persona mayor to keep the tone natural and contemporary.
Examples in context
- La persona mayor tiene una gran sabiduría para compartir con nosotros.The old person has great wisdom to share with us.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about a bus ride.
- JavierCedí mi asiento a un お年寄り.I gave up my seat for an elderly person.
- SofíaEso fue muy amable de tu parte, Javier.That was very kind of you, Javier.
- JavierEs importante respetar a los お年寄り.It is important to respect elderly people.
- SofíaEstoy totalmente de acuerdo contigo.I totally agree with you.
