señor
/seˈɲoɾ/masculine
In Spanish, 'sir' is señor.
señor is a common way to say 'sir' or 'Mr.' in Spanish. It is used to address any male, particularly if his name or proper address is unknown.
Meaning: address to any male, especially if his name or proper address is unknown (noun)
Which one should you use?
While señor can be used to address someone directly as 'sir', it also functions as 'Mr.' when it is paired with a surname.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Don is particularly common in Spain when addressing someone of higher social status or age.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine counterpart to señor is señora, which means 'ma'am' or 'lady'. When using señor as a title before a surname, it is abbreviated as Sr.
How do you pronounce it?
/seˈɲoɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using señor as a direct replacement for 'Mr.' if you do not include a surname. In Spanish, señor used alone is for the direct address 'sir'.
Did you know?
- Beyond addressing people, señor can be applied to inanimate masculine nouns to grant them a sense of personified importance or higher status.
- The term señor descends from the Latin word seniōrem, which was the comparative form of the word for 'old'.
- While 'sir' in English is a respectful address, the root of señor implies a hierarchy of power, originally meaning 'master' or 'lord'.
Examples in context
- ¿El señor es médico?Are you a doctor, sir?This sentence uses señor to ask if a man is a doctor.Tatoeba #5311719 by baudelaire, translation #5341005 by Amittai
- A su servicio, señor.I'm at your service, sir.This sentence uses señor to express being at someone's service.Tatoeba #2944705 by marcelostockle, translation #2946767 by astyng
- No puede pasar, señor.You may not pass, sir.This sentence uses señor to inform a man he cannot pass.Tatoeba #1505945 by marcelostockle, translation #1110514 by Scott
- ¡Buenos días, señor García!Good morning, Mr. García!
- Hola, don Carlos, ¿cómo está usted?Hello, Mr. Carlos, how are you?
- Permiso, caballero. ¿Me podría decir la dirección?Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me the address?
- El señor López es un profesor excelente.Mr. López is an excellent teacher.
- Hola, don Ramírez. Es un gusto conocerlo.Hello, Mr. Ramirez. It's a pleasure to meet you.
- Señor, ¿puedo tener un momento de su tiempo?Sir, may I have a moment of your time?
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman asks a man for directions in a city.
- AlejandroPerdone, señor, ¿dónde está el museo?Excuse me, sir, where is the museum?
- LucíaEstá a dos calles de aquí.It is two blocks from here.
- AlejandroMuchas gracias por su ayuda, señor.Thank you very much for your help, sir.
- LucíaDe nada, que tenga un buen día.You're welcome, have a nice day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sir” translations and entries señor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries señor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
