subasta
/suˈbasta/feminine
The English phrase 'auction' is translated into Spanish as subasta. Wiktionary also lists remate and almoneda.
Meaning: public sales event (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| subasta | /suˈbasta/ | feminine |
| remate | /reˈmate/ | masculine |
| almoneda | /almoˈneda/ | feminine |
| licitación | /liθitaˈθjon/ /lisitaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a public sales event. Related verbs include subastar (to auction), rematar (to sell at auction) and licitar (to bid or to tender).
Which one should you use?
subasta is the general term used for a standard auction. remate can refer to a liquidation auction or a commercial sale. licitación is a specific term used for a public tender or a formal bidding process, typically involving a government or a corporation. The verb rematar can mean to sell something at an auction, but it also carries the secondary meaning of 'to finish off' or 'to complete' something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
subasta and almoneda are feminine nouns, while remate is a masculine noun. licitación is also a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/suˈbasta/
Did you know?
- The word subasta comes from the Latin sub hastā, which literally means 'below the spear'. In ancient Rome, a spear was planted in the ground to mark the legal authority to sell spoils of war.
- Because rematar can mean 'to complete', a remate in architecture or construction refers to the finishing touch or the capping of a wall.
- The verb rematar, used to signal the end of an auction, also means 'to finish off' or 'to kill' in other contexts.
Examples in context
- La subasta termina el lunes.The auction ends Monday.This sentence is useful for discussing when a subasta ends.Tatoeba #5769391 by arh, translation #4498281 by CK
- Compraron los muebles en un remate.The furniture was bought at an auction.This sentence shows how to use remate to describe buying items.Tatoeba #3125981 by marcelostockle, translation #3014149 by eirik174
- El magnífico semental alcanzó un precio enorme en la subasta.The magnificent stallion fetched a huge price at auction.This sentence illustrates the use of subasta in the context of a high-priced sale.Tatoeba #5410222 by albrusgher, translation #3080983 by patgfisher
- La casa de subastas celebrará una importante subasta de arte moderno.The auction house will hold an important modern art auction.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking about a piece of jewelry.
- Lucía¿Vas a la subasta mañana?Are you going to the auction tomorrow?
- AlejandroSí, quiero ese collar.Yes, I want that necklace.
- LucíaEspero que no sea muy cara.I hope it is not too expensive.
- AlejandroOjalá, pero la subasta será muy competitiva.I hope so, but the auction will be very competitive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “auction” translations and entries subasta, remate, almoneda, licitación, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries almoneda, licitación, remate, subasta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
