complimenting

i know a more mature spanish woman is a senora, but are they like american women, and like to be talked to as if they are younger. or in other words if i called an older woman senorita, would she consider it a compliment, that i was treating her as a younger woman?

I think she would... but really a sseñora is simply someone who is married, even though it has connection with being older, they should not get annoyed. But like you say, if you use señorita you might get some extra points.

Throwing my 2 pesos in on this one... I sometimes see native Spanish speakers use Senorita to a married woman as a form of complimenting or flirting. Its always been done by older or married men and only when they know the woman well enough. I have never seen a woman or younger man do that. When I first started practicing my Spanish with native speakers, if I had said Senorita instead of Senora to a married woman, they would have assumed that I was simply not aware of the proper words to use. However, I do it now because they understand I know the difference and that I am intentionally using Senorita as a way of omplimenting or flirting just like they do with each other. When in doubt, I would rather have a married woman correct my Senorita with a Senora (and usually a big smile) than a single woman correct my Senora with a Senorita.... 8) OK, maybe that was more than just 2 pesos.... :lol: