Ask for a market’s location and describe what you buy there.

The idea

Mercado is masculine: el mercado, plural los mercados. Use en el mercado for being at the market. For movement toward it, a and el contract to al: vamos al mercado.

Examples

  • El mercado abre a las ocho.The market opens at eight.
  • Compramos fruta en el mercado.We buy fruit at the market.
  • ¿Dónde está el mercado?Where is the market?
  • Hay dos mercados en la ciudad.There are two markets in the city.
  • El mercado está cerca de la estación.The market is near the station.
  • Vamos al mercado los sábados.We go to the market on Saturdays.

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Watch out

En el mercado locates an activity at the market; al mercado names the destination of going there.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the singular after el: El ___ abre a las ocho. (mercado / mercados)

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    mercado

    Mercado is singular and agrees with el and abre.

  2. Choose the plural after dos: Hay dos ___ en la ciudad. (mercados / mercado)

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    mercados

    Mercados is plural after the number dos.

  3. Choose the contracted form for a + el: Vamos ___ mercado los sábados. (al / a la)

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    al

    Al is the contraction of a and el before mercado.

Use it today

Say where a market is and when you go there to buy food.