soltera
/solˈteɾa/
The phrase for unmarried woman in Spanish is soltera.
The word soltera can function as an adjective to describe a woman's marital status or as a noun to mean 'a single woman'. It refers to a woman who has never been married or is not currently married.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term señorita is universally understood across many Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, Mexico and Argentina.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a group of unmarried women, use the plural form solteras.
How do you pronounce it?
/solˈteɾa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking professional environments, señorita is being phased out in favor of señora for all adult women to avoid defining a woman by her relationship to a man.
- The word soltera shares a root with soledad, which means 'solitude' or 'loneliness', reflecting the linguistic link between being single and being alone.
- In some traditional contexts, a woman who is soltera may be referred to as solterona if she has passed a certain age, which carries a mocking connotation of being an 'old maid'.
Examples in context
- Soy una mujer soltera de treinta años.I'm a thirty-year-old unmarried woman.This sentence is useful for showing how to use soltera when describing oneself.Tatoeba #402794 by catakaoe, translation #402552 by Grayster
- Buenos días, señorita González. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle?Good morning, Miss González. How can I assist you?
- Ella es una mujer soltera y exitosa en su carrera.She is a single and successful woman in her career.
- Ella es una mujer soltera muy independiente.She is a very independent unmarried woman.
- Mi hermana siempre ha sido soltera.My sister has always been unmarried.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking about a mutual friend at a cafe.
- Elena¿Sabes si Lucía es soltera?Do you know if Lucia is unmarried?
- AlejandroSí, ella es soltera actualmente.Yes, she is currently unmarried.
- ElenaQué bien, es una mujer estupenda.That's good, she is a wonderful woman.
- AlejandroEs verdad, Elena.It's true, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry soltera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
