“Señora” is a term of courtesy used to address a married or widowed woman in Spanish. If you hear someone say, “Good morning, Señora So-and-so,” you'll subconsciously assume the person being addressed is an adult woman.

But how much of an adult?

That’s where the term becomes a Swiss Army knife — a linguistic wild card that can signal respect, age, social distance, or, sometimes, ill will. However, goodwill doesn't always land. Let’s look at some examples.

• You’re 25 and on your honeymoon. At the hotel counter, the clerk says, “Señora So-and-so, a courier left something for you.” You can’t help but giggle. It’s the first time you're called “Señora,” and it sounds hilariously odd. Suddenly, your marital status seems to change how people see you. But you don’t care — you’re still ridiculously young.

• Then time goes by. You’ve just turned 40 and got divorced. To celebrate, you go on vacation by yourself —but not at the same hotel— a different one. You’ve been exercising and taking care of yourself, and you look stunning. Back from the beach at the hotel, a man who's roughly your age addresses you after you drop your beach towel in the middle of the hallway:

— “Señora! Excuse me, I think this is yours.”

You recognize the towel, but your mind goes, “What?? Señora who?”

He’s just being polite, but you immediately take a dislike to him. Maybe he’s nearsighted, you think at first, but for the rest of your stay, everyone won’t stop calling you “Señora,” no matter what you wear— even two fluffy pigtails while greedily licking a Hello Kitty lollipop.

Back at home, you realize "Señora" isn't just a title, it's a label that shifts with time. At 25 it was almost a joke. At 40, it's a polite reminder that the world sees you differently, you like it or not. But don’t worry — no wildcard can take away the confidence and wisdom you’ve earned, and the life you’ve lived. By 60, you couldn't care less.