Inklingo

How to Say "chairperson" in Spanish

English → Spanish

presidente

/pre-si-DEN-te//pɾe.siˈðen.te/

NounA2gender-neutral
Use 'presidente' as a gender-neutral term for the head of a group, regardless of the person's gender, especially in more formal or general contexts.
A formally dressed person standing behind a wooden podium, giving a speech to represent a leader or president.

Examples

El presidente de la compañía anunció los resultados trimestrales.

The president of the company announced the quarterly results.

El presidente dio un discurso importante.

The president gave an important speech.

Mi padre es el presidente de la compañía.

My father is the president of the company.

Fue elegida presidenta del club de debate.

She was elected president of the debate club.

Gender: 'Presidente' vs. 'Presidenta'

Traditionally, 'presidente' was used for both men and women. Now, it's very common to use 'la presidenta' when referring to a woman. Both are correct, but 'presidenta' is often preferred for clarity and inclusivity.

Forgetting to change the article and ending for women

Mistake:El presidente de Argentina es una mujer.

Correction: La presidenta de Argentina es una mujer. When talking about a female president, remember to change both the word before it ('el' to 'la') and the ending of the word itself ('-e' to '-a').

presidenta

preh-see-DEN-tah/pre.siˈðen.ta/

NounB1gender-neutral
Use 'presidenta' when referring to a female leader or head of a group, or as a gender-neutral alternative when you want to specifically acknowledge the female gender of the leader.
A confident woman wearing a professional suit stands behind a wooden podium, illustrating a female head of state or government.

Examples

La presidenta de la asociación de vecinos habló sobre los problemas del barrio.

The president of the neighborhood association spoke about the area's problems.

La presidenta dio un discurso sobre la economía nacional.

The president (female) gave a speech about the national economy.

Ella fue elegida presidenta de la asociación de padres.

She was elected chairwoman of the parents' association.

La junta directiva se reunirá con la presidenta mañana.

The board of directors will meet with the president tomorrow.

Gendered Nouns

This word is the feminine version of 'presidente.' It specifically refers to a woman holding the office. Always use the feminine article 'la' before it.

Using the wrong article

Mistake:El presidenta

Correction: La presidenta. Since the noun ends in -a and refers to a woman, you must use the feminine article 'la'.

Choosing Presidente vs. Presidenta

The most common mistake is assuming 'presidente' is always the default, even when referring to a woman. While 'presidente' can be used neutrally, 'presidenta' is specifically for a female leader and is becoming more common to explicitly recognize women in charge.

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