profesora
/pɾofeˈsoɾa/
The English phrase 'female teacher' is translated into Spanish as profesora.
The most common and generally accepted term for a female teacher in Spanish is profesora. It specifically refers to a woman who works as a teacher.
Which one should you use?
While profesora refers to a female teacher, you should use profesor to refer to a male teacher. If you are referring to a teacher in a primary or elementary school setting, maestra is a common synonym.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Argentina, teachers are commonly referred to as profe regardless of their gender.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word profesora is the feminine form of the noun, which is indicated by the -a ending.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾofeˈsoɾa/
Did you know?
- The word profesora shares a root with the English word 'profession', coming from the Latin 'professari', which meant to declare openly or acknowledge a faith.
- While profesora is the standard term, the word maestra can elevate a woman beyond the classroom. In many contexts, it is used as a high honorific to describe a person who has achieved absolute mastery of a specific craft or art.
- If a woman reaches the highest possible academic rank at a university, she is no longer just a profesora but is called a catedrática. This title denotes a specific level of prestige and authority in the academic hierarchy.
Examples in context
- María era la única profesora.Mary was the only female teacher.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific female teacher using profesora.Tatoeba #1855301 by marcelostockle, translation #1482784 by Spamster
- Ella es una profesora muy inteligente.She is a very intelligent teacher.
- Mi hermana es profesora de inglés.My sister is an English teacher.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking about their school.
- Mateo¿Conoces a la nueva profesora?Do you know the new teacher?
- MaríaSí, ella es muy simpática.Yes, she is very nice.
- MateoEs la profesora de matemáticas, ¿verdad?She is the math teacher, right?
- MaríaExactamente, es excelente en su clase.Exactly, she is excellent in her class.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry profesora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
