mercado
Lemma Details
Translation: market; marketplace; bazaar
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'mercatus' meaning 'trade, market', derived from the verb 'mercari' (to trade). This shares the same root as English words like 'merchant', 'commerce', and 'mercantile'. The Latin root 'merc-' relates to trade and merchandise, showing how commerce has been a fundamental concept across Romance and Germanic languages.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Voy al mercado a comprar frutas y verduras frescas.
I'm going to the market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
El mercado inmobiliario está en auge.
The real estate market is booming.
Los vendedores del mercado ofrecen precios más bajos que las tiendas.
The market vendors offer lower prices than stores.
Mnemonics
- Think 'merchant' + '-ado' = mercado, where merchants sell their goods
- Remember 'merc-' as in 'merchandise' - a market is where merchandise is sold
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Markets (mercados) are central to daily life in Spanish-speaking countries, often serving as social hubs where people gather to buy fresh produce, handcrafts, and other goods. Traditional markets remain important cultural institutions even as modern supermarkets have become common. In many Latin American countries, local mercados are vibrant centers of community life and authentic cuisine.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'mercado' refers to the marketplace itself, 'mercancía' refers to the goods or merchandise being sold.
Notes: Both words share the Latin root 'merc-' related to commerce and trade.
Mnemonic: Mercado has 'market' in it, while mercancía sounds like 'merchandise'.
Explanation: 'Mercado' is the physical or conceptual place where buying and selling occurs, while 'comercio' refers to the activity of trade or commerce itself.
Confused word:
El comercio entre los dos países ha aumentado.
Trade between the two countries has increased.
Notes: Comercio often refers to trade on a larger scale, while mercado can be both the physical location and the economic concept.
Mnemonic: Comercio contains 'commerce' (the activity), while mercado is the market (the place).