Spanish · People & Family
"Teacher" in Spanish: maestro / maestra
el maestro / la maestra
Note: also: el profesor / la profesora
Teacher in Spanish is el maestro or la maestra. Profesor is common later; keep maestro for this page.
At school
El maestro explica la lección.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce maestro / maestra
Say it
mah-EHS-troh / mah-EHS-trah
/maˈes.tɾo/ /maˈes.tɾa/
mah-EHS-troh / mah-EHS-trah. Stress EHS.
"Teacher" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| el maestro | the teacher (male) Male teacher; common for primary school. | Male teacher; common for primary school. |
| la maestra | the teacher (female) Female teacher; common for primary school. | Female teacher; common for primary school. |
| el profesor | the teacher / professor (male) Often secondary school or university. | Often secondary school or university. |
| la profesora | the teacher / professor (female) Female secondary or university teacher. | Female secondary or university teacher. |
How to use maestro / maestra in real life
- 1At school
El maestro explica la lección.
The teacher explains the lesson.
El maestro for a male teacher.
- 2Parent talk
La maestra mandó un mensaje.
The teacher sent a message.
La maestra for a female teacher.
- 3Homework help
Pregunto a mi maestro mañana.
I’ll ask my teacher tomorrow.
Mi maestro for your teacher.
Mistakes English speakers make with maestro / maestra
Incorrect: Ella es mi maestro.
Correct: Ella es mi maestra.
Use maestra for a woman. Maestro is masculine.
Incorrect: El maestra es nueva.
Correct: La maestra es nueva.
Pair la with feminine maestra.
Good to know
In much of Latin America, maestro/maestra is common for primary school, while profesor/profesora is frequent later. Students often address teachers as maestro/maestra or profesor/profesora plus a last name.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After class
ChatPal
¿Te ayudó el maestro?
Did the teacher help you?
You
Sí. El maestro explicó otra vez.
Yes. The teacher explained again.
ChatPal
Mi maestra hizo lo mismo.
My teacher did the same.
You
Qué bueno. Ahora entiendo.
Nice. Now I understand.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Teacher" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Teacher" in Spanish
How does gender work for teacher?
Maestro for a man, maestra for a woman.
Maestro or profesor?
Both mean teacher. Profesor/a is common later in school.
How do students address teachers?
Often maestro/maestra or profesor/profesora plus a surname.
How do you pronounce maestro?
mah-EHS-troh. Maestra is mah-EHS-trah.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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