marca
/MAR-cah/
brand
Marca can refer to a brand or corporate identity, often represented by a unique logo.
📝 In Action
¿Qué marca de teléfono usas?
A1What brand of phone do you use?
Esta marca es famosa por su calidad.
A2This brand is famous for its quality.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Check
Remember that 'marca' is always feminine, so you must use 'la marca' or 'una marca'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Product Choice
When talking about specific products, like cars or appliances, 'marca' is the perfect word to ask for the manufacturer's name.
When referring to a physical impression or sign, marca means a mark.
marca(noun)
mark
?physical impression or sign
,stain
?residual spot
scar
?permanent skin mark
,sign
?indication
📝 In Action
Hay una marca de zapato en el suelo.
A2There is a shoe mark on the floor.
Su caída dejó una pequeña marca en la rodilla.
B1His fall left a small mark (scar) on his knee.
Necesitas hacer una marca con lápiz antes de cortar.
A2You need to make a mark with a pencil before cutting.
⭐ Usage Tips
Permanent Marks
When talking about a permanent mark on the skin from an injury, 'marca' often means 'scar' (cicatriz is also used, but 'marca' is common).
Marca is used in sports to mean a record, like the fastest time or highest score.
📝 In Action
El nadador rompió la marca nacional.
B1The swimmer broke the national record.
Su mejor marca personal es de 10.5 segundos.
B2His personal best time is 10.5 seconds.
💡 Grammar Points
Verb Pairing
To talk about setting or achieving a record, use the verb 'establecer' (to establish). To beat a record, use 'romper' (to break) or 'superar' (to overcome).
As a verb, marca means to mark or to make a sign.
marca(verb)
to mark
?to make a sign
,to dial
?a phone number
to score
?in a sport
,to emphasize
?to highlight
📝 In Action
Ella marca los errores en el papel.
A2She marks the errors on the paper. (This uses the form 'marca')
Tienes que marcar el número antes de hablar.
A2You have to dial the number before speaking.
El delantero marcó un gol en el último minuto.
B1The striker scored a goal in the last minute.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Car' Change Rule
Verbs ending in -car (like marcar) must change the 'c' to 'qu' when followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past tense (marqué) and in the special verb forms (subjunctive and commands) to keep the hard 'k' sound.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite Error
Mistake: "Yo marcí (instead of marqué)"
Correction: The correct past tense 'I marked' is 'Yo marqué'. If you used 'marcí', it would change the sound, which is incorrect.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: marca
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'marca' to refer to a competitor's achievement?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'marca' the same as 'récord'?
'Marca' and 'récord' (record) are often synonyms in sports contexts. 'Marca' is the native Spanish term, while 'récord' is a common borrowing from English. Both mean 'the best score or time achieved'.
How do I know if 'marca' is the noun or the verb?
If it is preceded by 'la' or 'una' (La marca), it’s the feminine noun (brand, mark, record). If it follows a subject like 'él,' 'ella,' or 'usted' (Ella marca), it is the verb 'marcar' (to mark/dial) conjugated in the present tense.