sí, maestro
/ˈsi maˈestɾo/word by word
In Spanish, "yes, teacher" is expressed as sí, maestro.
This phrase is used by a student to answer a question or show agreement with their teacher. In many Spanish-speaking countries, students often show respect by addressing a teacher by their title, such as profesor or profesora, rather than using the general word for teacher, maestro or maestra.
Which one should you use?
While maestro is a common way to refer to a teacher, profesor is often used in more formal academic settings or for secondary and higher education. For a more emphatic way to agree, you can also say Por supuesto, profesor/profesora, which means "of course, teacher".
How does it change in a sentence?
If the teacher is a woman, you should use the feminine form sí, maestra.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsi maˈestɾo/
Did you know?
- In certain regions, saying sí, maestro to a street vendor or a skilled artisan is a common way to show respect for their trade.
- In a musical context, a conductor is often referred to as el maestro, making the phrase a common way to show deference in an orchestra.
- The word maestro shares the same root as the English word 'master', stemming from the Latin 'magister'.
Example conversation
A student is answering a question in class.
- JavierJavier, ¿puedes leer el próximo párrafo?Javier, can you read the next paragraph?
- SofíaSí, maestro.Yes, teacher.
- Javier¿Estás listo para empezar?Are you ready to start?
- SofíaSí, maestro, estoy listo.Yes, teacher, I am ready.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sí, maestro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maestro, sí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
