mercado
“mercado” means “market” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
market, store
Also: marketplace
📝 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.
market
Also: demand, exchange
📝 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.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mercado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'mercado' in its sense of 'economic system'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'mercado' comes directly from the Latin word *mercātus*, meaning 'trade' or 'marketplace.' It is related to words that describe buying and selling.
First recorded: c. 13th century (in Romance languages)
Cognates (Related words)
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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.