Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| shopping | /ˈʃopin/ /ˈʃobpinɡ/ |
masculine |
| compra | /ˈkompɾa/ | feminine |
The term compra is the standard word for the act of buying. If you are referring to grocery shopping or essential household shopping, you should use the phrase hacer la compra. The word Supermercado translates to supermarket.
Which one should you use?
The English loanword shopping is used in Spanish specifically to refer to the activity of clothes or luxury shopping, whereas compra is the standard term for the act of buying.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the activity of 'going shopping,' use the idiomatic phrase ir de compras, which utilizes the plural form compras. While the singular noun la compra refers to a specific purchase or the act of buying something, the plural las compras refers to the general activity of shopping.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃopin/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying comprar de compras, which is a common error. Instead, use ir de compras to mean 'to go shopping' or hacer las compras to mean 'to do the shopping'.
Did you know?
- The verb comprar is used in the idiomatic expression comprar gato por liebre, which literally means 'buying a cat for a hare' to describe being cheated in a purchase.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the English word shopping is used as a noun to refer to the physical building of a 'shopping mall' rather than the act of buying.
- While shopping is a borrowed word, it is often pronounced with a Spanish 'sh' sound, which is not native to the Spanish alphabet and varies by speaker.
Examples in context
- Me voy de compras.I'm going shopping.This sentence is useful for showing how to say 'I am going shopping' using compra.Tatoeba #4770197 by alegarvid, translation #2248018 by CK
- ¡Me voy de compras!I'm going shopping!Tatoeba #1672848 by Shishir, translation #6744879 by swolesuki
- Ellos van de compras.They go shopping.This sentence is useful for showing how to say 'They go shopping' using compra.Tatoeba #2699277 by emanuel81, translation #564720 by CK
- Voy a ir de shopping este fin de semana. ¡Hay una gran venta en la tienda de ropa que me encanta!I'm going shopping this weekend. There's a big sale at my favorite clothing store!
- 164 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing their plans for the weekend.
- Elena¿Qué quieres hacer este sábado, Javier?What do you want to do this Saturday, Javier?
- JavierTengo que ir de shopping para comprar ropa.I have to go shopping to buy clothes.
- ElenaYo también necesito algunas cosas.I need some things too.
- JavierPerfecto, vamos juntos entonces.Perfect, let's go together then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shopping” translations and entries shopping, compra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries compra, shopping, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
