What is the difference between "asesor", "consejero", "informante" in Spanish?

The English word 'consultant' can be translated into Spanish in several ways, depending on the specific context and the nature of the advice or information being provided. Understanding these nuances will help you choose the most appropriate Spanish term.

How to Say "consultant" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “consultant” is “asesor” — use 'asesor' when referring to a professional hired for their expert knowledge in a specific field, such as finance, law, or business..

asesor🔊B1

Use 'asesor' when referring to a professional hired for their expert knowledge in a specific field, such as finance, law, or business.

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consejero🔊A2

Choose 'consejero' for someone who offers general guidance or advice, often in a more personal or academic setting, like a school counselor or a trusted advisor.

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informante🔊B2

Use 'informante' specifically when the 'consultant' is a native speaker providing linguistic data for research or an informant in a sociological or investigative context.

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English → Spanish

asesor

ah-seh-SOR/aseˈsoɾ/

nounB1professional

Use 'asesor' when referring to a professional hired for their expert knowledge in a specific field, such as finance, law, or business.

A professional person in a suit leaning over a table to point at a colorful map for another person.

Examples

Mi asesor hipotecario me explicó las opciones de financiación.

My mortgage consultant explained the financing options to me.

Necesito hablar con mi asesor financiero antes de comprar la casa.

I need to talk to my financial advisor before buying the house.

El presidente tiene un grupo de asesores muy capaces.

The president has a group of very capable advisors.

Ella trabaja como asesora de imagen para celebridades.

She works as an image consultant for celebrities.

People words and gender

Even though this entry is for the masculine 'asesor,' you simply add an 'a' at the end ('asesora') when talking about a woman.

Don't confuse with 'advice'

Mistake: “Using 'asesor' to mean the tip or advice itself.”

Correction: Use 'asesor' for the PERSON and 'consejo' or 'asesoramiento' for the actual advice they give.

See full entry for “asesor” →

consejero

kohn-seh-HEH-roh/kon.seˈxe.ɾo/

nounA2general

Choose 'consejero' for someone who offers general guidance or advice, often in a more personal or academic setting, like a school counselor or a trusted advisor.

A high quality storybook illustration showing a professional counselor sitting at a desk, leaning forward slightly and offering reassuring advice to a client who is listening intently.

Examples

El consejero escolar nos dio consejos para elegir carrera.

The school counselor gave us advice for choosing a career.

Mi consejero de la universidad me ayudó con la matrícula.

My university counselor helped me with registration.

El consejero financiero sugirió ahorrar más dinero.

The financial advisor suggested saving more money.

Hablé con un consejero matrimonial para resolver nuestros problemas.

I spoke with a marriage counselor to solve our problems.

Masculine/Feminine Forms

Since this word ends in -o, it changes to 'consejera' when referring to a woman. Remember to change the article too: 'el consejero' (M) vs. 'la consejera' (F).

Confusing Advice/Person

Mistake: “Using *consejo* (the advice itself) instead of *consejero* (the person). E.g., 'Hablé con mi consejo.'”

Correction: Use 'Hablé con mi consejero.' Remember, the word ending in -o is usually the person who performs the action.

See full entry for “consejero” →

informante

/een-for-MAHN-teh//imfoɾˈmante/

nounB2specialized

Use 'informante' specifically when the 'consultant' is a native speaker providing linguistic data for research or an informant in a sociological or investigative context.

A person in a trench coat whispering into the ear of a uniformed officer in a quiet park.

Examples

El antropólogo entrevistó a un informante clave de la comunidad.

The anthropologist interviewed a key informant from the community.

El informante de la policía prefirió mantenerse en el anonimato.

The police informant preferred to remain anonymous.

Para este estudio lingüístico, trabajamos con un informante nativo de la región.

For this linguistic study, we worked with a native speaker source from the region.

La periodista se negó a revelar la identidad de su informante.

The journalist refused to reveal the identity of her source.

One word, two genders

This word is what we call 'common for gender.' The word itself doesn't change from 'o' to 'a'; only the 'the' or 'a' before it changes (el informante for a man, la informante for a woman).

Don't use 'informador' for everything

Mistake: “Using 'informador' when referring to a secret police contact.”

Correction: Use 'informante' for people giving secret info to authorities, and 'informador' for someone whose job it is to provide general information, like a news reporter.

See full entry for “informante” →

Asesor vs. Consejero

Learners often confuse 'asesor' and 'consejero'. Remember that 'asesor' implies a professional with specialized expertise, while 'consejero' is broader and can refer to general guidance, often in non-professional contexts.

Related Translations

advisor→counselor→advisory→board member→cabinet minister→consulting→director→guide→

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