Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| guro | /ˈɡuɾoʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) /ɡuˈɾoʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| maestro | /maˈʔestɾo/ (Standard Tagalog) /maˈestɾo/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| maestra | /maˈestɾa/ (Standard Tagalog) /maˈʔestɾa/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| titser | /ˈtit͡ʃeɾ/ (Standard Tagalog) /ˈtitseɾ/ |
A teacher is a person who teaches. While guro is the standard term, in many modern Philippine schools, students often use the English loanword 'teacher' or 'Ma'am/Sir' as a direct address.
Which one should you use?
guro is the standard and most common general term. maestro is a formal masculine form used specifically for a male teacher, while maestra is a formal feminine form used for a female teacher. titser is a colloquial version of the word.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
guro is the formal and standard Tagalog term. maestro and maestra are also formal, distinguished by gender. titser is a colloquial term derived from the English word 'teacher' and is used more in everyday conversation. To show politeness when speaking to a teacher, you can add po at the end of your sentence or phrase.
Is it said differently in some regions?
titser is a colloquial term that is more commonly used in urban areas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡuɾoʔ/
When do people say it?
In Tagalog culture, students may use the terms Kuya (meaning older brother) to refer to a male teacher who is older or seen as an authority figure or Ate (meaning older sister) to refer to a female teacher in a similar way.
Did you know?
- The standard word guro is actually a Sanskrit loanword that traveled through Malay into Tagalog, making it a distant linguistic cousin to the English word 'guru'.
- While guro is the standard term, the high influence of English and Spanish means a single person's profession can be described using three different linguistic roots.
Examples in context
- Alam kong guro ka.I know that you are a teacher.This sentence shows how to use guro to state someone's profession.Tatoeba #1853523 by nonong, translation #252703 by CC
- Sino ang titser mo?Who is your teacher?This sentence uses titser to ask who someone's teacher is.Tatoeba #2028787 by nonong, translation #17660 by CK
- Siya ang aking guro.He is my teacher.This sentence uses guro to identify a specific person as a teacher.Tatoeba #3153385 by qwertzu, translation #297929 by CK
- Titser, pwede pong magtanong?Teacher, may I ask a question?
- Ang paaralan na ito ay may magaling na mga guroThis school has excellent teachers
- Miss, magandang umaga poMiss, good morning
- Guro, puwede po bang magtanong?Teacher, may I ask a question, please?
- Guro ng FilipinoFilipino teacher
- Si Maestro Ramirez ang guro namin sa MusikaMaestro Ramirez is our Music teacher
- 80 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Jose are talking about their school.
- MariaJose, kilala mo ba ang bagong guro?Jose, do you know the new teacher?
- JoseOo, Maria. Siya ay napakasipag.Yes, Maria. He/She is very hardworking.
- MariaMabuti naman kung ganun.That is good then.
- JoseSana ay magustuhan natin siya.I hope we like him/her.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries guro, maestro, maestra, titser, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guro, maestra, maestro, titser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
