Inklingo

How to Say "freight" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “freight” is “mercancía” — use 'mercancía' when referring to the general items or goods being shipped or sold, often in a commercial context..

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mercancía

nounA2general
Use 'mercancía' when referring to the general items or goods being shipped or sold, often in a commercial context.

Examples

La tienda recibió un nuevo envío de mercancía esta mañana.

The store received a new shipment of merchandise this morning.

cargo

/KAR-go//ˈkaɾɣo/

nounA2general
Use 'cargo' specifically for goods transported in large quantities, especially by ship or other large vehicles.
A massive, brightly colored container ship sailing on the ocean, loaded high with stacked shipping containers representing commercial goods.

Examples

El barco llegó al puerto con un cargo de plátanos.

The ship arrived at the port with a cargo of bananas.

El cargo aéreo es más rápido pero más caro.

Air freight is faster but more expensive.

Using 'cargo' for any load

Mistake: “Puse el cargo de ropa en la lavadora.”

Correction: Puse la carga de ropa en la lavadora. Use 'carga' for a general 'load' (like laundry or groceries). 'Cargo' is usually for commercial goods being transported.

cargamento

kar-gah-MEN-toh/kaɾɣaˈmento/

nounB1general
Choose 'cargamento' when you want to emphasize the entire load or shipment of goods, particularly in a commercial transport context.
A wooden crate sitting on a shipping dock with a large cargo ship in the background.

Examples

El barco llegó al puerto con un cargamento de café.

The ship arrived at the port with a cargo of coffee.

Estamos esperando un gran cargamento de suministros médicos.

We are waiting for a large shipment of medical supplies.

La policía interceptó un cargamento ilegal en la frontera.

The police intercepted an illegal shipment at the border.

Always Masculine

Cargamento ends in '-o', so it is almost always masculine. Use 'el' or 'un' before it.

Result Noun

The suffix '-mento' is added to verbs (like 'cargar') to name the result of that action.

Cargamento vs. Cargo

Mistake: “Using 'cargamento' to mean a job position.”

Correction: Use 'cargo' for a job title or fee, and 'cargamento' for physical goods being moved.

transporte

/trans-POR-te//tɾansˈpoɾte/

nounB1general
Use 'transporte' when referring to the act or cost of moving goods, rather than the goods themselves, though it can sometimes mean the goods being transported.
A massive red and blue container ship sailing across a calm blue ocean, carrying many stacked cargo containers, symbolizing commercial movement of goods.

Examples

El coste del transporte de la mercancía subió este año.

The cost of shipping the merchandise went up this year.

La compañía se especializa en transporte terrestre.

The company specializes in ground conveyance (shipping).

Cargo vs. Cargamento

Learners often confuse 'cargo' and 'cargamento'. While both refer to goods being transported, 'cargo' is more general for bulk goods, whereas 'cargamento' often implies the entire load as a single shipment, especially in commercial contexts.

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