Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Man in Spanish: Hombre, Varón, Señor, and More
Hombre · noun · OHM-breh
Man in Spanish is hombre — the general, everyday word for an adult male. Varón is the formal or biological term (often seen on ID documents), and señor is the polite form of address equivalent to sir or Mr.
Two syllables: OHM-breh. The h is silent, and the stress falls on the first syllable. The final e is a short, clipped vowel.
Un hombre alto entró en la tienda.
A tall man walked into the store.
Man in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for man, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| hombre | man | OHM-breh | Default, widely understood |
| varón | man | male (biological or formal, used on forms and documents) | |
| señor | man | sir, gentleman, Mr. (polite address) | |
| tipo | man | guy, dude (informal, Latin America) |
How Native Speakers Use Hombre
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing someone in a story
El hombre de la esquina vende los mejores tamales del barrio.
The man on the corner sells the best tamales in the neighborhood.
Hombre is the default, neutral word for man in all narrative and conversational contexts.
Filling out an official form
Sexo: varón.
Sex: male.
Varón appears on government forms, medical records, and legal documents. It is not conversational.
Addressing someone politely
Disculpe, señor, ¿sabe dónde queda la estación?
Excuse me, sir, do you know where the station is?
Señor is the respectful way to address an adult man, especially a stranger or elder.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hombre
Using hombre to address a stranger formally
Incorrect: Oiga, hombre, ¿me puede ayudar? (to a stranger)
Correct: Oiga, señor, ¿me puede ayudar?
Calling a stranger hombre sounds overly familiar or even rude in many regions. Use señor for polite, formal address.
Pronouncing the h
Incorrect: HOM-breh (with an audible h)
Correct: OHM-breh (silent h)
Hombre carries the same silent-h rule as all Spanish words beginning with h: the sound starts on the O, never with a breathy aspiration. Native speakers will still understand you, but the accent becomes very noticeable.
Lock in Man Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Hombre used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hombre in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Un hombre alto entró en la tienda. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Man in Spanish
- How do you say man in Spanish?
- Man is hombre (OHM-breh). For formal or biological contexts, use varón. To address a man politely, use señor.
- What is the difference between hombre and varón?
- Hombre is the everyday word for man. Varón is more formal and clinical — it appears on IDs, birth certificates, and medical forms to denote biological sex. You would not casually call someone a varón in conversation.
- How do you say old man or young man in Spanish?
- Old man is hombre mayor or viejo (informal). Young man is joven or muchacho. Chico also works for a young guy in casual speech.