What is the difference between "profesor", "profesora", "maestro" in Spanish?

The English word 'teacher' can be translated into Spanish in several ways, depending on the educational level and the gender of the teacher. Understanding these nuances will help you choose the most appropriate term.

How to Say "teacher" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “teacher” is “profesor” — use 'profesor' for male teachers in middle school, high school, and university settings..

profesor🔊A1

Use 'profesor' for male teachers in middle school, high school, and university settings.

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profesora🔊A1

Use 'profesora' for female teachers in middle school, high school, and university settings.

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maestro🔊A1

Use 'maestro' primarily for male teachers in elementary or primary school, and sometimes for respected instructors in any field.

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English → Spanish

profesor

/pro-feh-SOR//pɾo.feˈsoɾ/

NounA1General

Use 'profesor' for male teachers in middle school, high school, and university settings.

A friendly male teacher standing in a classroom next to a large green chalkboard, holding a piece of chalk and smiling.

Examples

Mi profesor de historia es muy exigente.

My history teacher is very demanding.

Mi profesor de español es de Madrid.

My Spanish teacher is from Madrid.

El profesor explicó la lección dos veces.

The teacher explained the lesson twice.

Ella es profesora de historia en la universidad.

She is a history professor at the university.

A Word with Two Genders

Profesor is the word for a male teacher. To talk about a female teacher, you just change the ending to -ora: profesora. This is a common pattern in Spanish for jobs ending in -or.

'Profesor' vs. 'Maestro'

Mistake: “Mi maestro de la universidad es muy inteligente.”

Correction: Mi profesor de la universidad es muy inteligente. Use `profesor` for high school and university teachers. `Maestro` is usually for elementary school teachers.

See full entry for “profesor” →

profesora

proh-feh-SOH-rah/pɾofeˈsoɾa/

NounA1General

Use 'profesora' for female teachers in middle school, high school, and university settings.

A smiling female teacher standing in a brightly lit classroom next to a green chalkboard.

Examples

La profesora de matemáticas explicó el problema claramente.

The math teacher explained the problem clearly.

Mi profesora de historia nos dio mucha tarea.

My history teacher gave us a lot of homework.

La profesora García es muy estricta con las fechas de entrega.

Professor García is very strict with the submission deadlines.

Ella aspira a ser profesora titular en la facultad de derecho.

She aspires to be a tenured professor in the law school.

Gendered Profession

This noun is feminine because it refers to a woman. The masculine equivalent is 'profesor' (male teacher/professor).

Using the Wrong Article

Mistake: “El profesora.”

Correction: La profesora. Since 'profesora' is feminine, it must use the feminine articles 'la' or 'una'.

See full entry for “profesora” →

maestro

/mah-ESS-troh//maˈes.tɾo/

NounA1General

Use 'maestro' primarily for male teachers in elementary or primary school, and sometimes for respected instructors in any field.

A friendly male teacher standing at a low desk in a colorful classroom, holding up a bright red apple for two small, attentive children.

Examples

El maestro de primer grado leyó un cuento a los niños.

The first-grade teacher read a story to the children.

El maestro de mi hijo es muy paciente.

My son's teacher is very patient.

La maestra nos enseñó a leer y escribir.

The teacher taught us to read and write.

Making it Feminine

To talk about a female teacher, just change the '-o' at the end to an '-a': maestra. This is a very common pattern in Spanish for jobs.

`Maestro` vs. `Profesor`

Mistake: “Using `maestro` for a university professor.”

Correction: Generally, use `maestro` for a primary school teacher and `profesor` for a high school or university teacher. Think of `maestro` as someone who teaches kids the basics.

See full entry for “maestro” →

Profesor vs. Maestro

The most common mistake is using 'maestro' for all teachers. Remember that 'profesor' (or 'profesora' for female) is standard for secondary and higher education, while 'maestro' is typically for elementary school.

Related Translations

instructor→professor→expert→main→master→principal→schoolteacher→virtuoso→

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