Inklingo

How to Say "trader" in Spanish

English → Spanish

comerciante

/ko-mehr-syahn-teh//komeɾˈθjante/

nounB1general
Use 'comerciante' for a general term for anyone who buys and sells goods, services, or even financial assets like stocks.
A friendly shopkeeper standing behind a wooden counter filled with baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Examples

Mi tío es un comerciante de coches usados.

My uncle is a used car trader.

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/

nounB1specialized
Choose 'mercader' when referring to someone who deals in particular types of products, often implying a historical or more specialized trade.
A friendly historical merchant standing behind a wooden stall filled with colorful fabrics and spices.

Examples

Los mercaderes medievales traían seda de Oriente.

Medieval merchants brought silk from the East.

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.

General vs. Specific Trader

Learners often use 'mercader' when 'comerciante' would be more appropriate. Remember that 'comerciante' is the everyday, general term for anyone involved in trade, while 'mercader' is more specific and can sound a bit dated or literary.

Related Translations

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