almacén
/ahl-mah-SEHN/
store
When referring to a small retail establishment, almacén translates to 'store'.
almacén(noun)
store
?Retail establishment, general shop
department store
?Larger multi-floor retail shop
,grocery store
?Common usage in Argentina/Uruguay
📝 In Action
Fui al almacén de la esquina a comprar leche y pan.
A1I went to the corner store to buy milk and bread.
Ese almacén vende ropa y artículos para el hogar.
A2That department store sells clothes and household items.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun Rule
Remember that 'almacén' is always masculine, so use 'el' (the) or 'un' (a): 'el almacén'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "La almacén"
Correction: El almacén. Even though it ends in 'n', it follows the pattern of masculine nouns ending in -ón or -én.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Nuance
In Spain, you would usually use 'tienda' or 'grandes almacenes' (plural) for this meaning. Using 'almacén' for a small shop is mostly limited to parts of Latin America.
Almacén is also used for 'warehouse,' describing a large building dedicated to storage.
almacén(noun)
warehouse
?A large building for storage
depot
?Storage facility
,stockroom
?Back area of a shop
📝 In Action
La compañía tiene su mercancía guardada en un gran almacén cerca del puerto.
B1The company has its merchandise stored in a large warehouse near the port.
Necesitamos revisar el inventario en el almacén antes de hacer más pedidos.
B2We need to check the inventory in the stockroom before placing more orders.
💡 Grammar Points
Plural Form
To make 'almacén' plural, you add '-es', and the accent mark disappears from the last syllable: 'almacenes' (warehouses).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Context
When talking about large-scale logistics, 'almacén' is the most appropriate and formal choice for 'warehouse'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: almacén
Question 1 of 2
If you are in Buenos Aires and someone says, 'Voy al almacén,' what are they most likely doing?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'almacén' the same as 'tienda'?
They are similar, but often different sizes. 'Tienda' is a general word for any shop. 'Almacén' can mean a huge storage facility (warehouse) or, in parts of Latin America, a small, neighborhood general store, often implying a wider variety of goods than a simple 'tienda'.
Why does 'almacén' have an accent mark?
It has an accent mark because the stress naturally falls on the last syllable ('al-ma-CÉN'), and Spanish spelling rules require an accent when a word ends in a consonant other than 'n' or 's'. When you make it plural ('almacenes'), the stress moves back one syllable, so the accent is no longer needed.