This qualitative study aims at analysing the metaphorical categories on teacher role from EFL pre-service teachers at a Chilean university.Conceptual metaphors of a group of first and fifth year pre-service teachers are described, regarding: 1) their beliefs about the social image of the teacher's role and 2) their image on the role of the English teacher.For each group, metaphor categories are compared and then they are analyzed between groups.This study on conceptual metaphor is in the context of Cognitive Linguistics.As for the U n i v e r s i d a d P e d a g ó g i c a N a c i o n a l F a c u l t a d d e H u m a n i d a d e s folios n. o 42 Segundo semestre de 2015 • pp 161-177research design, a questionnaire is applied to elicit metaphors, content analysis is used, following these stages; categorization, classification and external scholar review.Regarding the results on the social image of the teachers' role, teaching and learning centered metaphors are identified.For both groups, participants are aware of the social undervalue of the teaching profession.As for the role of the English teacher, first year pre-service teachers incline to identify teachers as transmitters of knowledge.Fifth year pre-service teachers, opt for student-centered metaphors.