Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Manager in Spanish: How to Say Gerente and Related Titles
Gerente · noun (masculine/feminine with article) · heh-REN-teh
Manager in Spanish is gerente, a widely used title across Latin America and Spain for someone who runs a business, department, or team. For less formal settings you'll hear jefe (boss), while encargado fits a shift or section leader. Director is reserved for higher-level roles such as a school principal or corporate director.
Say heh-REN-teh with the stress on the second syllable. The g before e makes an aspirated h sound, similar to the English h in hello.
El gerente aprobó el presupuesto esta mañana.
The manager approved the budget this morning.
Manager in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for manager, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| gerente | manager | heh-REN-teh | Default, widely understood |
| jefe/jefa | manager | informal; closer to boss | |
| director/directora | manager | corporate or institutional leadership | |
| encargado/encargada | manager | person in charge of a section or shift |
How Native Speakers Use Gerente
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Requesting to speak with a manager
¿Podría hablar con el gerente, por favor?
Could I speak with the manager, please?
Use el gerente (or la gerente for a woman) when asking for the person in charge at a store, restaurant, or office.
Describing someone's role at work
Mi hermana es la encargada de la tienda los fines de semana.
My sister is the store manager on weekends.
Encargada is common for shift or section managers, especially in retail.
Talking about a corporate manager
La directora de recursos humanos convocó una reunión urgente.
The human resources director called an urgent meeting.
Director/directora is preferred when the role involves executive-level decision-making.
Using jefe in a casual conversation
Mi jefe me dio el día libre.
My boss gave me the day off.
Jefe is less formal than gerente and often translates as boss rather than manager.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Gerente
Using mánager as a direct loan
Incorrect: El mánager del equipo habló con la prensa.
Correct: El gerente del equipo habló con la prensa.
While mánager is borrowed in sports contexts in some countries, gerente or director is correct in everyday and professional Spanish.
Forgetting to change the article for a female manager
Incorrect: El gerente revisó los informes. (referring to a woman)
Correct: La gerente revisó los informes.
Gerente keeps its form for both genders, but you must switch the article from el to la when referring to a woman.
Lock in Manager 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 Gerente used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using gerente in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El gerente aprobó el presupuesto esta mañana. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Manager in Spanish
- How do you say manager in Spanish?
- The most common translation is gerente. You'll hear it in offices, stores, and restaurants across the Spanish-speaking world. In informal settings, jefe (boss) works, and encargado fits a shift or section leader.
- What is the difference between gerente, jefe, and director?
- Gerente refers to a general manager who runs daily operations. Jefe is more casual and closer to boss. Director implies a higher-ranking executive, like a school principal (director de escuela) or a corporate director.
- Is gerente masculine or feminine?
- The word gerente stays the same for both genders. You change the article: el gerente (male) or la gerente (female). Some speakers use gerenta as a feminine form, but this is less standard.