Inklingo

How to Say "freight" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “freight” is “mercancía” — use 'mercancía' when referring to the specific items or goods being shipped, especially in a commercial context like a store receiving stock.

mercancíaA2

Use 'mercancía' when referring to the specific items or goods being shipped, especially in a commercial context like a store receiving stock.

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cargo🔊A2

Choose 'cargo' when talking about goods being transported in bulk, often by ship or large vehicle, focusing on the shipment itself as a unit.

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cargamento🔊B1

Use 'cargamento' for the commercial transport of goods, often implying a large quantity or a specific shipment with a commercial purpose.

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porte🔊B1

Use 'porte' to refer to the act or cost of transporting goods from one place to another, often when discussing shipping fees.

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transporte🔊B1

While 'transporte' primarily means 'transport' or 'transportation,' it can less commonly refer to the goods being transported, especially when discussing the cost or logistics of moving them.

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English → Spanish

mercancía

nounA2general
Use 'mercancía' when referring to the specific items or goods being shipped, especially in a commercial context like a store receiving stock.

Examples

La tienda recibió un nuevo envío de mercancía esta mañana.

The store received a new shipment of merchandise this morning.

cargo

KAR-goˈkaɾɣo

nounA2general
Choose 'cargo' when talking about goods being transported in bulk, often by ship or large vehicle, focusing on the shipment itself as a unit.
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-tohkaɾɣaˈmento

nounB1general
Use 'cargamento' for the commercial transport of goods, often implying a large quantity or a specific shipment with a commercial purpose.
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.

porte

POHR-tehˈpoɾte

nounB1commercial
Use 'porte' to refer to the act or cost of transporting goods from one place to another, often when discussing shipping fees.
A small wooden crate sitting on a delivery pallet.

Examples

¿El precio del sofá incluye el porte?

Does the price of the sofa include shipping?

Los portes de la mudanza fueron más caros de lo esperado.

The moving costs were more expensive than expected.

Recibí el paquete a portes debidos.

I received the package with shipping costs due (pay on delivery).

Singular vs. Plural

In Spain, it is very common to use the plural form 'los portes' when talking about shipping fees on an invoice.

Confusion with 'Portar'

Mistake: “Thinking 'porte' is only a verb.”

Correction: While it can be a verb form, in commerce it is almost always a noun meaning 'shipping cost'.

transporte

trans-POR-tetɾansˈpoɾte

nounB1general
While 'transporte' primarily means 'transport' or 'transportation,' it can less commonly refer to the goods being transported, especially when discussing the cost or logistics of moving them.
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).

Goods vs. The Act of Shipping

Learners often confuse 'mercancía'/'cargo'/'cargamento' (the goods) with 'porte' or 'transporte' (the act or cost of shipping). Remember that 'mercancía' and 'cargo' refer to the items themselves, while 'porte' specifically denotes the shipping service or its cost.

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