al por mayor
/al poɾ maʝoɾ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the English phrase wholesale is translated as al por mayor.
The term al por mayor is used to describe something of or relating to sale in bulk or in large quantities.
Meaning: of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity (adj)
Which one should you use?
Its direct antonym is al por menor, which means "retail" or "in small quantities."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, Central America and some parts of South America, Venta al mayoreo is an alternative term used for wholesale.
How do you pronounce it?
/al poɾ maʝoɾ/
Did you know?
- The word mayor in al por mayor is the same word used to describe an 'older' sibling or a person of 'greater' age.
- A seller in a traditional Spanish market might offer a precio de mayorista to a retail customer as a personal gesture of goodwill.
- The word mayor in al por mayor shares a common ancestor with the English word 'major'. Both derive from the Latin 'maior', meaning 'greater'.
Examples in context
- Un minorista compra al por mayor y vende al por menor.A retail merchant buys wholesale and sells retail.This sentence is useful for illustrating the difference between buying al por mayor and selling al por menor.Tatoeba #10531548 by Seael, translation #267666 by AlanF_US
- Nuestra empresa se especializa en la venta al por mayor de productos textiles.Our company specializes in wholesale of textile products.
- El comercio mayorista experimentó un crecimiento significativo en el último trimestre.The wholesale trade experienced significant growth in the last quarter.
- Tenemos un proveedor que nos ofrece precios al por mayor muy competitivos.We have a supplier that offers us very competitive wholesale prices.
- Necesitamos comprar la mercancía al por mayor.We need to buy the merchandise wholesale.
- Ellos ofrecen precios al por mayor para negocios.They offer wholesale prices for businesses.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are discussing supplies for their new cafe.
- Elena¿Dónde podemos conseguir café al por mayor?Where can we get coffee wholesale?
- AlejandroConozco un proveedor que vende al por mayor.I know a supplier that sells wholesale.
- ElenaEso sería perfecto para nuestro presupuesto.That would be perfect for our budget.
- AlejandroTe enviaré su número de contacto ahora.I will send you his contact number now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry al por mayor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mayor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
