señor
“señor” means “Mr.” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
Mr.
Also: Sir
📝 In Action
¿El señor López está en la oficina?
A1Is Mr. López in the office?
Disculpe, señor, ¿me puede ayudar?
A1Excuse me, sir, can you help me?
Buenos días, señores. Bienvenidos a la reunión.
A2Good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to the meeting.
man
Also: gentleman
📝 In Action
Un señor me preguntó la hora en la calle.
A2A man asked me for the time on the street.
El señor que vive al lado tiene un perro muy grande.
B1The man who lives next door has a very big dog.
lord
Also: master, the Lord
📝 In Action
El rey era el señor de todas esas tierras.
B2The king was the lord of all those lands.
En la Biblia, a menudo se refieren a Dios como 'el Señor'.
B2In the Bible, they often refer to God as 'the Lord'.
great
Also: quite a, heck of a
📝 In Action
¡El delantero marcó un señor gol!
C1The forward scored a heck of a goal!
Se compró un señor coche con su primer sueldo.
C1He bought himself quite a car with his first salary.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: señor
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly talks *about* Mr. Garza?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'senior', which is the comparative form of 'senex' meaning 'old'. So, 'senior' literally meant 'the older one', a term used to show respect.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'señor' and 'don'?
Both are formal titles of respect. 'Señor' is more common and is used with the last name (Señor Pérez). 'Don' is a bit more traditional and respectful, and it's always used with the first name (Don Carlos). Think of 'Don' as a sign of high personal esteem.
When does a boy become a 'señor'?
There's no exact age, but generally, you'd start calling a young man 'señor' when he's an adult, maybe in his late teens or early 20s, especially in a formal setting. Before that, you might call him 'joven' (young man).
Is it okay to just call someone 'Señor' without their name?
Yes, absolutely! It's the equivalent of saying 'Sir' or 'Mister' in English to get someone's attention politely. For example, 'Disculpe, señor' (Excuse me, sir).