mercado
/meɾˈkado/masculine
The Spanish word for marketplace is mercado.
mercado refers to an open area in a town that houses a public market. Beyond this physical location, mercado is also the standard term used for the abstract concept of a 'market' in economics.
Meaning: open area in a town housing a public market (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the term tianguis is used to describe an open-air market. In Argentina, the term feria americana refers specifically to second-hand clothing sales.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mercado is los mercados.
How do you pronounce it?
/meɾˈkado/
Did you know?
- While mercado is used for economics, Spanish uses the term bolsa meaning 'bag' to refer specifically to the stock market.
- The Mexican term tianguis actually comes from the Nahuatl word 'tianquiztli', reflecting the pre-Hispanic influence on how people describe marketplaces.
- In some regions, you might see a mercado de pulgas, which translates literally as a 'market of fleas' to describe a flea market.
Examples in context
- Estoy buscando papaya en la plaza de mercado.I'm looking for papaya in the marketplace.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use mercado when looking for produce in a market plaza.Tatoeba #8543140 by nonong, translation #10111971 by shekitten
- ¿Dónde está el mercado más cercano? Hay uno en el centro de la ciudad.Where is the nearest marketplace? There is one in the city center.
- Vamos a la feria este fin de semana, ¿te unes? Claro, siempre es divertido pasear por la feria.Let's go to the fair this weekend, would you like to join? Sure, it's always fun to walk around the marketplace.
- ¿Has visitado el rastro? Tienen cosas increíbles. No, aún no he tenido la oportunidad, pero me encantaría explorarlo.Have you visited the bazaar? They have amazing things. No, I haven't had the chance yet, but I'd love to explore it.
- El mercado es muy grande.The marketplace is very large.
- Compré frutas frescas en el mercado.I bought fresh fruit at the marketplace.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are deciding where to go shopping.
- Sofía¿Vamos al mercado hoy?Are we going to the marketplace today?
- MateoSí, me gusta mucho ese mercado.Yes, I like that marketplace a lot.
- SofíaPodemos comprar verduras allí.We can buy vegetables there.
- MateoEs una buena idea, Sofía.It is a good idea, Sofia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “marketplace” translations and entries mercado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
