Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| economico | /e.koˈnɔ.mi.ko/ |
| a buon mercato | /a‿bˈbwɔm merˈka.to/ |
| poco costoso | /ˈpɔ.ko kosˈto.zo/ (word by word) |
The term 'cheap' is used to describe something that is low or reduced in price. Economico is a common way to express this, often carrying the connotation of being 'economical' or providing good value for the money. The phrase a buon mercato is an adverbial phrase used to describe something that is sold at a low price. Finally, poco costoso serves as a more literal way to say that something is 'not expensive'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase a buon mercato literally translates to 'at a good market'.
Which one should you use?
While economico often implies that an item is a good value or economical, poco costoso is a more literal expression meaning 'not expensive'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective economico must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It becomes economica for feminine singular nouns, economici for masculine plural nouns and economiche for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word economico is pronounced /e.koˈnɔ.mi.ko/. It has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- Unlike English where 'cheap' can imply 'poorly made', economico is generally a positive term. To say something is 'cheaply made' or 'tacky', Italians would use the word cheap as an English loanword or the word scadente.
- In Italy, describing a person as economico is not a common way to call them 'cheap' or 'stingy'. Instead, Italians use words like tirchio or avaro to describe a frugal person.
- The word economico does not just mean 'low price', but traces back to the Greek concept of being 'skilled with household management'.
Examples in context
- Non è a buon mercato.It isn't cheap.This sentence is useful for saying that something is not cheap using a buon mercato.Tatoeba #5446733 by Guybrush88, translation #4397618 by CK
- Non è così economico.It's not so cheap.This sentence is useful for saying that something is not so cheap using economico.Tatoeba #5826011 by Guybrush88, translation #2891616 by CK
- Wow! È a buon mercato!Wow! That's cheap!This sentence is useful for expressing surprise that something is cheap using a buon mercato.Tatoeba #2745537 by Guybrush88, translation #42587 by CK
- Il negozio offre prodotti di alta qualità a prezzi davvero economici.The store offers high-quality products at really affordable prices.
- Durante i saldi, ho comprato dei vestiti di marca a prezzi convenienti.During the sales, I bought branded clothes at affordable prices.
- Abbiamo trovato un bed and breakfast molto bello e a buon mercato durante il nostro viaggio.We found a very nice and cheap bed and breakfast during our trip.
- Abbiamo prenotato un volo nazionale a basso costo per le vacanze estive.We booked a low-cost domestic flight for the summer holidays.
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are looking for a hotel online.
- LorenzoQuesto hotel sembra molto economico.This hotel seems very cheap.
- MartinaSì, ma è troppo lontano dal centro.Yes, but it is too far from the center.
- LorenzoCerchiamo un altro posto economico allora.Let's look for another cheap place then.
- MartinaVa bene, guardiamo queste opzioni.Alright, let's look at these options.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheap” translations and entries economico, a buon mercato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (poco, costoso) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, a buon mercato, economico, mercato, poco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
