Spanish Titles: A Guide to Spanish Honorifics and Formal Speech

Key takeaways:

• In Spanish-speaking cultures, honorifics and titles denote respect and status.
• These include everyday titles (such as mister) and specialist titles (such as professor and doctor). As a visitor, you can probably get away with learning just the personal titles. It’s unlikely you’ll need to address somebody by their level of education on your vacation.
• Most Spanish titles and honorifics have a female and masculine version. You need to make sure you use the correct one to convey respect and courtesy. 

Spanish titles and honorifics are used to show respect. Well-known examples include señor (Mr.) and señora (Mrs.). Using honorifics demonstrates formality and is a great way to show politeness and respect to your elders and those in more senior positions. 

When learning Spanish for travel, it’s worthwhile to memorize some of the most common honorifics. Understanding these titles allows you to politely address people on your travels. 

What are Spanish titles and honorifics?

Titles and honorifics are titles that precede names, such as Doctor, Professor, or Mrs. Learning the correct way to address people ensures you can converse politely and respectfully in a range of social situations. 

It’s crucial to spend time learning titles and honorifics when you learn Spanish. They are used to show respect towards elders and professionals. Using Spanish titles and honorifics ensures you can address people politely when speaking Spanish. 

Titles may be used to signify a person’s profession, social standing, or official capacity in Spanish. You should also use titles and honorifics when speaking to an elder, as this conveys respect. 

Spanish titles and honorifics can generally be split into four categories: personal, academic, official, and noble titles. Let’s take a closer look at the four categories of Spanish honorifics and titles:

1. Personal 

These are the titles and honorifics that are likely to be most useful during your trip. These are everyday titles that convey a feeling of respect and politeness in a conversation. Using personal titles ensures the polite formality expected when speaking Spanish. 

2. Academic 

In English, the only academic titles we use are generally “doctor” and “professor,” but Spanish has a more complex system for referring to a person’s academic background. There are titles for a graduate and another for a person with a master’s degree. These titles are typically used in a professional setting, rather than informally.

3. Official

Official titles generally refer to those used when addressing official personnel, such as Judges or senior academic staff at a university. You probably don’t need to learn these for your vacation, and if you need to use them, you’ll likely be warned ahead of time depending on the situation. 

4. Noble 

While noble titles may not be in common usage these days, it still helps to recognize them in case you come across them on your travels. You’re unlikely to stumble across a member of the nobility during your travels, but understanding these noble titles may come in useful when learning about the history and culture of the country. 

Common titles in Spanish

Amongst the common Spanish phrases you need to learn are the titles and honorifics that will improve your conversations with the locals. By using the right titles, you can convey courtesy and respect, and this will likely lead to more positive and fulfilling social interactions. 

The Spanish culture places importance on respect and politeness, and honorifics are an essential part of that. By understanding these phrases, you can improve your use of the Spanish language.  

Here are some of the most commonly used Spanish titles for you to practice: 

Señor/Señora  
This is the most commonly used title in Spanish. Simply pop Señor (masculine) or Señora (feminine) before the person’s last name to convey respect. These titles are usually used when addressing your elders or those in a professional setting. 

Señorita 
If speaking to a young or unmarried woman, you would use the term Señorita before their last name. This is considered a polite and respectful way to address young women. 

Don/Doña  
The term Don (masculine) or Doña (feminine) is placed before a person’s first name to show that the person is a respected figure. This may be used when speaking to an older person in the community or an esteemed member of society. 

Querido/​​Querida

This is a Spanish honorific used as a term of friendly affection. Querido/Querida means darling, and you can use it at the start of a letter to a friend, “Querido John,” for example. 

Estimado/Estimada

This can be used at the start of formal correspondence and translates to “dear.” “Estimado John” translates as “Dear John” and is a formal alternative to the affectionate Querido/Querida mentioned above. 

How to address a woman in Spanish

If you’re wondering how to address a woman in Spanish, you would generally use señora or señorita. For young and unmarried women, señorita is the preferred choice. For older women, señora denotes respect. 

How to address a man in Spanish

For men, the preferred terms are señor or don. Generally, senor is the chosen term to denote respect. However, for an older gentleman or a respected older figure in the community, don can be used to denote respect. 

Spanish honorifics — capitalized or not?

When writing in Spanish, you need to make sure you do so correctly. Spanish honorifics are not capitalized if you are writing the word in its entirety (e.g., Señor); however, if you’re using the abbreviated “Sr.,” then you need to capitalize the first letter. If the Spanish honorific or title is at the start of the word, then it will be capitalized. 

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List of Spanish title abbreviations worth knowing 

Often, Spanish titles will appear in their abbreviated form, so you must learn to recognize these as well as the long-form words.

While this list may be overwhelming, remember, you don’t need to learn them all. Focus on learning and practicing the ones you will routinely need in everyday conversations. You’re unlikely to stumble across a viscount on your travels, and if you do, perhaps she’ll forgive you for getting her title wrong as a non-native speaker!

How to use Spanish honorifics correctly

In Spanish, if you’re speaking about a titled person, you must use the definite article before the title. For example:

• El señor López está indispuesto.  
  Mr Lopez is indisposed. 

A reminder of definite articles in Spanish:

If you’re talking directly to the titled person, however, you don’t use the definite article. Instead, you simply use the correct title or honorific. For example:

• Señor López, ¿cómo se siente usted? 
  Mr López, how are you feeling?

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• Conversational lessons: Learn practical Spanish for travel situations like ordering food, asking for directions, or checking in at a hotel.
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• Simple grammar explanations: Understand key grammar rules and sentence structures without confusion.
• Audio and reading activities: Train your ear and eyes to recognize Spanish in menus, signs, and everyday interactions.
• Cultural insights: Explore Spanish customs and etiquette to connect more easily with locals.

With Promova, you’ll be ready to travel confidently, speak naturally, and make the most of your adventures.

Take Promova’s Spanish level test today to check your fluency and identify weak areas to work on. 

Final thoughts

Understanding Spanish titles and honorifics is essential for polite conversation. Titles and honorifics are used in Spanish to show respect, and learning these key phrases will help you converse politely with all walks of life. 

While the list of Spanish honorifics and titles is quite lengthy, don’t let it put you off. You only really need to memorize the commonly used titles that may be required in everyday conversations. While it’s good to recognize and understand the more formal honorifics, you’re unlikely to need these on your travels.