mercado
/mer-KAH-doh/
market
El mercado: A physical place for buying and selling goods.
mercado(noun)
market
?physical place for buying and selling
,store
?large grocery store (often in Latin America)
marketplace
?traditional open-air market
📝 In Action
Vamos al mercado para comprar frutas frescas.
A1We are going to the market to buy fresh fruits.
El mercado central está abierto hasta las seis de la tarde.
A2The central market is open until six in the evening.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun
Remember that 'mercado' is always masculine, so use 'el' (the) or 'un' (a) with it: 'el mercado' or 'un mercado'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Use
In some parts of Latin America, 'mercado' is often used to mean a large general grocery store or supermarket, rather than just an open-air market.
El mercado: The abstract system of the economy or industry.
📝 In Action
El mercado laboral necesita más ingenieros.
B1The labor market needs more engineers.
La caída del precio afectó al mercado global de petróleo.
B2The price drop affected the global oil market.
💡 Grammar Points
Specific Markets
To talk about specific types of markets, you usually combine 'mercado' with an adjective (e.g., 'mercado global') or another noun (e.g., 'mercado de valores').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'mercado' for 'store'
Mistake: "¿Hay un mercado cerca? (When asking for a financial market)"
Correction: Only use 'mercado' for a store or grocery place if the context is clear. In a formal setting, always specify the type of market, like 'mercado bursátil' (stock market).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mercado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'mercado' in its sense of 'economic system'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mercado' used for all types of stores?
Not usually. While it can mean a large grocery store (especially outside of Spain), for small, specialized shops (like a bakery or a shoe store), you would typically use 'tienda' or the specific name, like 'panadería'.
How is 'mercado' different from 'plaza'?
'Mercado' specifically refers to the commercial activity or the building where trade happens. 'Plaza' means a town square, which is a general public area. Sometimes markets are *located* in a plaza ('plaza de mercado'), but the words are not interchangeable.