Inklingo

How to Say "lord" in Spanish

English → Spanish

señor

NounB2Formal/Informal
Use 'señor' when referring to a man in a position of authority, a nobleman, or as a general term of respect for an adult male, similar to 'mister'.

Examples

El señor de la casa dio órdenes a sus sirvientes.

The lord of the house gave orders to his servants.

amo

/ah-moh//'a.mo/

NounB2Formal/Informal
Use 'amo' specifically for a master, owner, or employer, particularly in contexts like a pet owner, a slave owner, or a master craftsman.
A person standing while gently petting a large, happy, loyal dog sitting obediently at their feet.

Examples

El perro espera felizmente a su amo.

The dog happily waits for its owner.

En la película, el sirviente era leal a su amo.

In the movie, the servant was loyal to his master.

Él se cree el amo del universo.

He thinks he's the master of the universe.

A Masculine Word

This word is masculine, so you say 'el amo' or 'un amo'. The word for a female master is 'el ama'. We use 'el' instead of 'la' to avoid the awkward 'la ama' sound, even though 'ama' is a feminine noun.

Confusing the Noun and Verb

Mistake: “'El perro tiene un amo.' (Thinking this means 'The dog has an I love.')”

Correction: The words 'un' or 'el' before 'amo' are your clue that it's the noun 'master/owner'. If it's by itself or after 'yo', it's the verb 'I love'.

lord

/lord//loɾd/

NounB2Formal
Use 'lord' only when referring to the specific British noble title, often in historical or fictional contexts related to the UK aristocracy.
A distinguished nobleman wearing elaborate red velvet robes and a small gold coronet on his head, signifying a British title.

Examples

Leí una novela sobre un joven lord que hereda un castillo escocés.

I read a novel about a young lord who inherits a Scottish castle.

El Lord Mayor de Londres es una figura ceremonial importante para la ciudad.

The Lord Mayor of London is an important ceremonial figure for the city.

Muchos lords tienen asientos en la Cámara Alta del Parlamento británico.

Many lords have seats in the Upper House of the British Parliament.

Always Masculine

Even though this word is a title, it is always treated as a masculine noun in Spanish: 'el lord', 'los lords'.

Using 'Señor'

Mistake: “Using 'señor' when referring to a specific British title of nobility.”

Correction: While 'señor' is often used for 'sir' or 'mister', for the formal British title, the anglicism 'lord' is almost always preferred in Spanish media and literature.

Don't confuse 'señor' and 'amo'

Learners often confuse 'señor' and 'amo'. While 'señor' can mean 'lord' in a general sense of authority, 'amo' is more specific to a master or owner. Use 'señor' for general respect or authority, and 'amo' for a direct owner-owned relationship.

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