mercado: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A2Neutral (used across formal, informal, business, and everyday contexts)
Quick answer
What does “mercado” mean?
A public gathering place for buying and selling goods and services.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A public gathering place for buying and selling goods and services; the trading activity itself.
The state of trade in a particular commodity or the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers operate (e.g., the stock market, housing market). Also refers to a specific group of potential buyers (target market).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling in compounds: 'marketplace' (US/UK), but 'market-place' (UK, dated). No significant meaning difference for the core noun.
Connotations
In UK, 'market' often strongly evokes the image of a traditional, often outdoor, weekly town market. In US, it can equally refer to a supermarket or an abstract economic concept.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both variants.
Grammar
How to Use “mercado” in a Sentence
enter the marketdominate the marketsaturate the marketmarket something to someonetest the marketVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mercado” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The Borough Market in London is famous for its artisanal foods.
- The housing market has slowed considerably this quarter.
American English
- We found some great antiques at the farmers' market.
- The tech market is highly competitive.
verb
British English
- The company plans to market the new software primarily to financial institutions.
- How will you market a product like this?
American English
- They hired a firm to market the app effectively.
- The product was poorly marketed and failed to sell.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to commercial activity, segments, and analysis (e.g., 'We need to assess the European market.').
Academic
Used in economics and sociology to discuss systems, trends, and behaviors (e.g., 'The forces of supply and demand regulate the market.').
Everyday
Refers to a place to shop for food and goods (e.g., 'I'm going to the market to get fresh vegetables.').
Technical
In finance, refers to trading venues and conditions (e.g., 'The bond market reacted nervously to the news.').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mercado”
- Using 'market' as a verb when you mean 'sell' (Correct: 'We market the product online.' vs. Incorrect: 'We market the product to the customer for £10.'). Confusing 'on the market' (for sale) with 'in the market' (interested in buying).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'market' typically implies multiple independent vendors (often in an open area or hall), while a 'supermarket' is a single, large, self-service retail store.
Yes. As a verb, 'to market' means to advertise, promote, or make a product available for sale (e.g., 'They marketed the campaign brilliantly.').
A flea market is a street market where people sell second-hand goods, antiques, and often handmade items.
A 'bull market' is a period of rising stock prices and optimism. A 'bear market' is a period of falling stock prices and pessimism.
A public gathering place for buying and selling goods and services.
Mercado is usually neutral (used across formal, informal, business, and everyday contexts) in register.
Mercado: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɑː.kɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːr.kɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the market for something (wanting to buy)”
- “play the market (speculate)”
- “price out of the market”
- “on the market (available for sale)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MARket where you MARK down the prices of ET (extra-terrestrial) vegetables. MARK + ET = MARKET.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKET AS A BATTLEFIELD (e.g., capture market share, compete in the market, price war). MARKET AS AN ORGANISM (e.g., the market is healthy, a volatile market, a growing market).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'to be in the market for something' mean?