Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| director | /diɾeɡˈtoɾ/ | masculine |
| directora | /diɾeɡˈtoɾa/ | feminine |
| principal de escuela | /pɾinθipal de eskwela/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /pɾinsipal de eskwela/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
When you are referring to the person who is the chief administrator of a school, use the noun director. In Spanish, the word principal is an adjective meaning 'primary' or 'main', rather than a noun for a person.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender of the person you are describing. Use director for a male principal and directora for a female principal. You may also see the phrase principal de escuela used to specify a school principal.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun must agree with the gender of the administrator: use the masculine form director for a man and the feminine form directora for a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/diɾeɡˈtoɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using el principal to refer to a school administrator. In Spanish, principal functions as an adjective, so you should use director or directora to name the person.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word for school escuela comes from the Ancient Greek word skholḗ, which originally meant 'spare time' or 'leisure'.
- In Spanish, director is used not only for a school principal but also for a movie or orchestra director.
- To show formal respect in many Spanish-speaking countries, a principal is addressed as señor director or señora directora.
Examples in context
- Hablo con el director.I'm speaking with the principal.This sentence shows how to use the masculine form director.Tatoeba #619668 by Shishir, translation #4353131 by mervert1
- Conocí al director en persona.I met the principal himself.Tatoeba #1542680 by marcelostockle, translation #257395 by CK
- Me gustaría ver a la directora.I'd like to see the principal.This sentence shows how to use the feminine form directora.Tatoeba #4802686 by DarkHollow, translation #2013984 by CK
- Quiero hablar con el director de la escuelaI want to speak with the school principal
- La rectora de la universidad es muy respetadaThe university principal is highly respected
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro is asking Elena for help with a school matter.
- ElenaEl director tiene una reunión ahora.The principal has a meeting right now.
- Alejandro¿Puedes hablar con el director después?Can you speak with the principal later?
- ElenaSí, yo hablaré con él.Yes, I will speak with him.
- AlejandroGracias, Elena. Eres muy amable.Thanks, Elena. You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “principal” translations and entries director, directora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, director, escuela, principal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
