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How to Say "merchant" in Spanish

English → Spanish

comerciante

/ko-mehr-syahn-teh//komeɾˈθjante/

nounB1general
Use 'comerciante' for any modern-day person involved in buying and selling goods, whether wholesale or retail.
A friendly shopkeeper standing behind a wooden counter filled with baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Examples

Mi tío es un comerciante de automóviles con una tienda grande.

My uncle is a car merchant with a large dealership.

Mi abuelo era un comerciante de telas muy respetado.

My grandfather was a very respected fabric merchant.

Los comerciantes locales están preocupados por la nueva ley.

Local shopkeepers are worried about the new law.

Para ser un buen comerciante, hay que conocer bien el mercado.

To be a good trader, you have to know the market well.

One Word for Both Genders

This word doesn't change its ending. To show if you are talking about a man or a woman, just change the word 'the' or 'a' in front: 'el comerciante' (the man) or 'la comerciante' (the woman).

Making it Plural

Since it ends in a vowel, just add an -s to make it plural: 'los comerciantes'.

Don't change the ending

Mistake: “La comercianta.”

Correction: La comerciante. Even though many Spanish words change 'o' to 'a' for women, words ending in -ante usually stay the same.

mercader

/mer-kah-DER//meɾkaˈðeɾ/

nounB1historical, literary
Opt for 'mercader' when referring to a merchant in a historical setting, or one dealing in specialized or luxury goods, often implying a sense of tradition or antiquity.
A friendly historical merchant standing behind a wooden stall filled with colorful fabrics and spices.

Examples

Los mercaderes venecianos controlaban gran parte del comercio en el Mediterráneo.

The Venetian merchants controlled much of the trade in the Mediterranean.

El mercader vendía especias de tierras lejanas.

The merchant sold spices from faraway lands.

En la Edad Media, los mercaderes viajaban en caravanas para protegerse.

In the Middle Ages, merchants traveled in caravans to protect themselves.

Shakespeare escribió 'El mercader de Venecia'.

Shakespeare wrote 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Making it feminine

To talk about a female merchant, simply add an 'a' at the end to make it 'mercadera'.

Plural form

Since this word ends in a consonant (r), you add '-es' to make it plural: 'mercaderes'.

Using it for everyday shopping

Mistake: “Voy al mercader para comprar pan.”

Correction: Voy a la panadería/tienda para comprar pan.

Comerciante vs. Mercader

The most common mistake is using 'mercader' for modern business dealings. While technically possible, 'comerciante' is the default and most natural choice for anyone currently engaged in trade, from local shopkeepers to international traders.

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