The titles "don" and "doña"

Question

Hello everyone, I was wondering if you could help me with the following: how often are the titles "don" and "doña" used in Spain on an every day basis? I am not talking about the clergy or the royal family, but about regular people today. I know it is used with first names only. Would you approach a complete stranger and say: "Buenos días don, ¿puede decirme qué hora es?

Muchas gracias a todos.

Welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, Jan 4, 2017

Answer 1

In order to use the title "don" or "doña" you must know their first name. So logically you wouldn't be able to approach a total stranger using "don" or "doña." You would have to use "señor,' "señora," or "señorita."

:) - ian-hill, Jan 3, 2017

Answer 2

Totally agree with Daniela, but it is possible to say "don", "doña", "doñita", but at least here in México if you go to places where there are informal sellers they call you "don", "doña", "doñita", "jefe", "jefa". ¿Qué va a llevar?, ¿Qué va a querer?.

But I dont recomend you to use only "don", "doña", use it always with the name.

This is new to me (como soy española). But they think I'm a Gringa anyway and talk to me in English. Oh, I do know about, "jefe" y "jefa." - Daniela2041, Jan 3, 2017

(y) Pero de hecho no es muy educado decir sólo don y doña, aunque puede que sea común. - 007e54d7, Jan 3, 2017

Los uso solamente con las personas a quienes se les debe respecto, y cuyos nombres sabemos, sin que sea necesario que les digamos "senor", "señora" etc. - Daniela2041, Jan 4, 2017

Answer 3

Thank you for your quick responses. I know you need to be familiarized with the person you're talking to to at least some degree in order to use the titles, which are reserved for people you respect. But is it still widely used in Spain today? Would you use it to address your boss? Or your friend's parents for example? Do young people today use them while talking to older people?

Gracias por todas las respuestas, estoy muy agradecido.

It is definitely used in Spain, and even in where I visited in Mexico. - Daniela2041, Jan 4, 2017

The kids raised in good homes where respect is taught always called me "doña Daniela." As they get older (think teenager) they begin to think of young adults like myself as equals. I do look a lot younger than what I really am. - Daniela2041, Jan 4, 2017

Interesting. Growing up in the South of the States, as a young boy (LONG ago), when addressing adults, we had to say "Mr. or Mrs. Jones." Never first names. As I grew a bit older, it became acceptable to address adults who we knew fairly well as "Mr." or - Winkfish, Jan 4, 2017

"Mrs." and the first name. So, I had a neighbor I called "Mr. Don." My friends' kids call me "Mr. Wink." - Winkfish, Jan 4, 2017