Addresses in Spanish. Titles in Spanish Difference Between Señora and Señorita

SIGNORINA

SIGNOR, SIGNORA, SIGNORINA, and when referring to them SIGNORIA

(it. signore, from lat. senior - senior). Sir, madam; a title formerly given to honorary persons, and now added to every family name.

Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. - Chudinov A.N., 1910 .

Signorina

(it. signorlna) in Italy - a girl, a young lady (address or form of polite mention)

New dictionary of foreign words.- by EdwART,, 2009 .

Signorina

signorina, f. [it. signorina]. In Italy - the same as a young lady (used when mentioning the girl's name or as a polite appeal to her).

A large dictionary of foreign words. - Publishing house "IDDK", 2007 .


Synonyms:

See what "SIGNORINA" is in other dictionaries:

    SIGNORINA, signorina, women. (Italian signorina). In Italy, the same as a young lady in 1 meaning. (used when mentioning a girl's name or as a polite way of addressing her). Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

    Exist., number of synonyms: 1 girl (126) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

    G. Used as an address or form of polite reference to a girl in Italy. Explanatory Dictionary of Ephraim. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern dictionary Russian language Efremova

    Signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina, signorina (Source: "Full accentuated paradigm according to A. A. Zaliznyak") ... Forms of words

    signorina- Signorina, s ... Russian spelling dictionary

    signorina- (1 f); pl. signori / us, R. signori / n ... Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language

    s; and. [ital. signorina] In Italy: a form of polite address to an unmarried woman (usually used before a surname or position, rank); girl, lady... encyclopedic Dictionary

    signorina- s; and. (Italian signorina) In Italy: a form of polite address to an unmarried woman (usually used before a surname or position, rank); girl, lady... Dictionary of many expressions

    signorina- sir / in / a ... Morphemic spelling dictionary

    "Signorina Jovento"- Signorina Gioventú, ballet pantomime in 7 scenes with a prologue (based on S. Cech). Comp. and scenes. V. Novak. March 8, 1930, National t r, Prague, ballet. and director Ya. Gladik, thin. V. Hoffman, conductor O. Odstrchil; performers Z… Ballet. Encyclopedia

Books

  • Signorina Cinnamon, Ballerini Luigi. There is hardly a sweets lover who will not be delighted with Signorina Cinnamon's confectionery. It's not easy to find though! The shop lurks in the depths of a deserted street, near ...

In Spanish culture, however, as in any other, there are norms of verbal communication, and politeness plays an important role among them. Without knowing the correct forms of address adopted in Spanish, you can not only get into an awkward situation, but also inadvertently offend your interlocutor. The use of different forms of address depends on the degree of formality of the situation, on how well you know the interlocutor and how you treat him.

A reservation should immediately be made, this article will consider lexical appeals that are commonly used in Spanish speech, as well as those that are typical only for Spain, since each Spanish-speaking country has its own peculiarities of speech etiquette.

You probably remember from books written by Russian classics and old Soviet films such appeals as “sir”, “sir”, “comrade”, “citizen”, etc. In everyday communication, addressing our interlocutor in this way, we will look at least strange. And in an official setting, such words are used in extremely limited situations. The same thing happens in Spanish. Some time ago, the Spaniards were characterized by such forms of politeness, unthinkable for us now, as Vuestra Merced (Your Grace) or Su Nobleza (His Nobleness), and often superlative adjectives were added to such appeals to make speech more pompous.

For modern official Spanish, lexical references Don-Doña and Señor-Señora-Señorita are considered the most characteristic. The words Don and Señor are addressed to men, and Doña, Señora and Señorita to women, and only a young woman or girl can be called a señorita. It should be noted that there are differences in the use of these addresses. Don-Doña are used in a more informal setting, to express respect for the interlocutor and are always used with names, for example:

¿Doña María, cómo lo pasa usted? Dona Maria, how are you?

Señor-Señora-Señorita are used in formal situations and always with a surname!

¿Señor Fernández, podrìa ir a visitarle? - Senor Fernandez, can I come to you?

When using the titles Señora and Señorita, one must be very careful, as they are used in common speech and refer to persons of a low social level. By addressing a stranger like this on the street, you can not only insult her, but also show your low level of education. This option can only be acceptable in an official situation (boss-subordinate), as well as in a dialogue between a seller and a buyer, a waiter and a visitor, etc.:

– ¿En qué puedo servirle, señora ? - How can I help you, sir?

– Puede traernos dos cocteles? – Can we have two cocktails?

It is worth noting that if earlier only an unmarried girl or a woman of any age was called a senorita, now an unmarried middle-aged woman is called a senora.

However, at present, the use of such forms of personal appeals has significantly decreased. Now even people of respectable age prefer to be called only by their first names. Therefore, impersonal forms, such as por favor (please), disculpe (excuse me), perdone (excuse me), oye/oiga (usted) (listen), ¿Podría usted decirme, are much more acceptable for attracting the attention of a stranger. …? (Could you tell me…?), Hágame el favor (Be kind), Tenga la bondad de … (Be so kind):

¿Perdone, por donde queda la plaza de España? – Excuse me, where is the Plaza de España?

¡Oye! ¿Tienes hora? “Listen, what time is it?”

However, the last three expressions have practically fallen out of everyday use and are found only in the official language.

All of the above applies to communication with strangers and in formal situations. Now we will try to clarify what are the rules for applying appeals in informal communication.

It should be noted that in colloquial speech, personal names in their full form do not meet very often. Emotional Spaniards like to emphasize their friendly (and sometimes familiar) attitude towards a person, calling him a diminutive name: Juanito (Juan), Nando (Fernando), Paquito (Francisco), Rosita (Rosa), Conchita (Concepción), etc. d.

Also, conversational familiar communication is characterized by such appeals as: mujer (woman), hija (daughter), niña (girl), nena (child), etc., and it doesn’t matter whether they address a little girl or a middle-aged lady years.

When referring to males, the following words are used: hombre (man), chico (boyfriend), joven (young man), muchacho (boy), niño (boy), hijo (son).

Often, expressive Spaniards can express their affection for a person by referring to him Cariño (love), Mi amor (my love), Vida mía (my life), Bonito (a) (sweet (th)), Querido (a) (dear ( aya)), Tesoro (treasure), etc.

– ¡Mama! - Mother!

– ¿Qué quieres, mi vida? What is my life?

When informally communicating with people you know, it is acceptable to use such impersonal addresses as ¡Eh! (Hey!), ¡Hola! (Hello!), ¡Pss(Pss!)! :

¡Eh! ¿Tienes hora? - Hey! What time is it now?

In Spanish speech, an important place is given to pronominal forms of address: to one person - tú / Usted (you / you) and to many people - vosotros (as) / ustedes (you).

Spaniards often try to avoid the formality of communication, so tuteo (in Russian “poking” in Russian) is very common among them. However, when addressing an unfamiliar interlocutor, a person older than you in rank or age, you should still use the polite Usted (short for vuestra merced “your grace”).

Recently, a situation has begun to be observed when Usted began to be replaced by tú when referring to service personnel, young teachers or in a conversation between two young people, and the degree of acquaintance with each other does not matter. This address should not be abused, as many Spaniards consider it excessive familiarity.

Dialogue between teacher and student

– Pedro, ¿ha hecho el dibujo de la flor? – Pedro, did you draw a flower?

- Si, aquí está. ¿Te gusta? - Yes, here he is. Do you like it?

It should be noted that in the countries of Latin America, the use of pronominal forms of address has a slightly different option: to one person - tú, vos / Usted and to many people - only ustedes.

Vos cantas bellamente instead Tucantas bellamente (You sing beautifully).

The rumors circulating in France about the possible abolition of the treatment of mademoiselle, applied to an unmarried girl, seem to have penetrated beyond the Alps and reached Italy. I wonder if the Italians will follow the example of their rebellious cousins ​​and decide to remove from their everyday life such a beautiful and melodious address signorina ?!

Yes, there is a lot of debate in France regarding the fate of mademoiselle's conversion. Two feminist associations at once - Le Chienne de Garde and Osez le Féminisme - propose to remove the term "mademoiselle" from all administrative acts as "sexist, discriminatory and anachronistic". But I wonder if the French society still decides to get rid of the "mademoiselle", will the famous company Chanel change the name of the Coco Mademoiselle perfume of the same name?

But what about Italy? And here, too, some are convinced that the sonorous "signore e signori" (ladies and gentlemen) is quite enough to designate two categories of society, and, therefore, signorina also risks soon being out of work. One stroke of the pen - and as if there was no whole period of dolce vita, black-and-white films of Fellini and the famous and snowy - as the Italians themselves like to think - Russia, the song "Buonasera Signorina" performed by the once so popular with us Adriano Celentano!

And quite unexpectedly and not at all Celentano, but a completely different performer stood up for the signorina's appeal. One of the most popular singers at the moment, Lady Gaga, in person last year at one of her concerts in Italy, apparently remembering her Italian roots (in official documents, the star is referred to only as Germanotta), said from the stage: "you I could be called "Signorina Gaga!" Evviva, all hope for her!

To be honest, such talk about the abolition of the treatment "Signorina" seems to me at least strange and absurd. But what about the eternally youthful Italians? Indeed, in Italy, almost the entire female part of the population from 13 to 90 years old considers themselves to be girls - ragazze! If you are a girl, that is, ragazza, then being called a signora somehow does not suit your face, it makes you old at once! Probably such a ragazza, whenever it is called a signora, gets lost and blushes.

Young Italian women, like good wine, bloom over the years, improving and honing their style with each passing decade. And if a very young fifteen-year-old lady boldly experiments with bright makeup and does not hesitate to expose both her chest and legs at once, then the fifty-year-old ragazza decisively vetoes such excesses of style. More mature ragazza won't allow herself either too long hair, no too high heels, no too tight dresses. But she will not shy away from a stylish leather jacket, fashionable bright jewelry or a skimpy bikini on the beach...

Recently, Botox has fallen out of favor among such mature Signorinas: there is an opinion that wrinkles age less than the once considered magical injection of beauty. Someone tell the 85-year-old Duchess Alba about this! After all, whatever one may say, the Spaniards are also cousins ​​to both the French and Italians, so they need to hint somehow in a kindred way! By the way, how are the 85-year-old segnorita and her young husband doing?

And yet, why all this commotion with ages and conversions? Undoubtedly, one of the reasons is the increase in life expectancy (and Italy firmly holds one of the leading positions in this regard), but the overseas "fashion" to give birth to children closer to 40 years also played a role. Young mothers resolutely find themselves accepting the fact of aging. And if we add to this the cult of beauty nurtured by Hollywood at any cost, then we will get an explosive cocktail with fifty-year-old ragazze and eternal signorine.

There is no doubt that there are actresses in Hollywood who are not afraid to show their wrinkles or tell about their age: Susan Sarandon, Diana Keaton, Meryl Streep, for this we love and respect you even more! But there are also the eternal “girls next door”, stuck between the ages of twenty and thirty-something and in the corresponding monotonous role: Jennifer Aniston is among them the titled queen.

And if you believe the word of Corny Cox in the film Cougar Town ("Cougar Town"), then the new 60 years is yesterday's fortieth! So in the film, American signorine hunters over 40 bet on younger men and win!

Yes, and the media has recently been trying to convince us that at 50, life is just beginning. I'm afraid the Italian media will soon have to slightly edit this common slogan, bringing the heyday of life closer to 70 years, the age when the current 30-year-old ragazze and signorine of Italy will most likely be able to retire in the light of the new reforms of the new Italian government.

And, in general, if in Italy it is customary to graduate from a university closer to 30 years old, get married at about 35, have children around 40, be called a "girl" and "Signorina" until 50, be younger at 60, then at 70, life is for sure is just starting! A little youthful enthusiasm, no doubt, does not hurt, but it is important not to overdo it here, as with Botox!

Sunny Spain has become an attractive holiday destination for many Russians. And for some, it is also a place of permanent residence. So the rules of courtesy are important for both. It would seem that seniors and senoritas live in Spain, and this appeal has already become familiar. However, everything is not so simple. You can greet the seigneur without difficulty, but a female person needs a special approach, her status and age must be taken into account. Moreover, with the passage of time, the previously established rules have changed.

Spanish men

Turning to a man in Spain and pronouncing the word "senior", you emphasize your respectful attitude towards him, which, by the way, is highly appreciated by the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula.

It is important to remember that you should add the man's last name to this greeting. This form is considered common and secular. In the case of an informal conversation with a gentleman whose status is quite high, it would be appropriate to address "don" in combination with the name of the interlocutor. There is no plural for this word.

If there are many men and all of them need to be greeted, then you use the word "senior" in the plural - "seniors".

Note that the masculine plural form is identical to the genitive feminine singular form.

In Spanish, there are only masculine and feminine genders, with the former occupying a dominant position. The fact is that if you are talking about a certain number of men, then you use the masculine plural. If you are addressing a society where men and women are present, then again use the same form - "seniors".

Spanish ladies

There are official greetings when a distance is established between the interlocutors both in social status and age. In the case of a "short" acquaintance, when people are about the same age and of equal status, more democratic forms of address are used.

However, in recent years in Spain, an increasingly relaxed style of communication has been practiced, when people use only names in combination with gender-determining words.

You should be especially careful with Spanish women, because when addressing them, you emphasize their age and official status: whether a lady is married or not.

The word "señora" can be applied to a married woman of any age. If you want to greet an all-lady group, then señoras (feminine plural) is the right word.

beautiful girls

Señorita or señorita - this treatment in the Iberian Peninsula, a few decades ago, could only refer to a young unmarried girl. If there are several of them and there is not a single man among them, then such a society can be welcomed with the word señoritas.

Today, the form of communication has changed somewhat, a senorita is not only an unmarried girl, but also a young woman wearing a wedding ring. It should not be forgotten that the surname of a woman or girl also joins the address here.

As for an unmarried middle-aged lady, it is now possible to greet her with the word "señora".

Thus, the question concerning the rules for addressing women in Spain (in particular, whether a senorita is married or not) is more of a subtlety that has more to do with age than status.