In Spanish, “mayorista” means wholesale, and “al por mayor” is the phrase used for bulk pricing and sales.
If you’ve ever tried to translate “wholesale” into Spanish, you’ve likely seen more than one option. That’s normal. Spanish uses one word for the person or business (a wholesaler), and another phrase for the way something is sold (in bulk, at a wholesale rate). Once you know which meaning you need, choosing the right Spanish term gets easy.
This article gives you the exact words, when to use each one, how they show up in real store signs and invoices, and a stack of ready-to-copy sentences. You’ll also learn a couple of traps that make English speakers sound off, plus a fast way to check if the term fits Spain, Mexico, or other regions.
How To Say Wholesale In Spanish For Real Situations
The most direct match for the English adjective “wholesale” is mayorista. You’ll see it in phrases like precio mayorista (wholesale price) or venta mayorista (wholesale sale). When you mean “sold in bulk,” Spanish often uses the phrase al por mayor, which points to the sales method: buying many units at a lower rate.
Quick Picks Based On What You Mean
- Wholesale As A Type Of Business:mayorista (wholesale, wholesaler) and mayoreo (wholesale trade, mainly in Latin America).
- Wholesale As A Way Of Selling:al por mayor (in bulk, at wholesale price).
- Wholesale Vs Retail:mayorista vs minorista; also al por mayor vs al por menor.
Why There Are Two Main Forms
English lets “wholesale” do many jobs: adjective, noun, even adverb (“sold wholesale”). Spanish splits that work. Mayorista labels the sector, the buyer, or the pricing tier. Al por mayor labels the selling style. If you translate “wholesale” the same way every time, some sentences turn clunky.
Words And Phrases That Translate “Wholesale”
Start with the core trio: mayorista, al por mayor, and mayoreo. Then add the related nouns you’ll see in business writing: mayorista as a noun, mayorista as an adjective, plus mayorista paired with pricing and sales terms.
Mayorista
Mayorista can mean “wholesaler” (the buyer or the company) or “wholesale” (as a category). It’s widely understood across Spanish-speaking regions, including Spain. If you want one safe default, start here.
Al Por Mayor
Al por mayor means “in bulk” or “at wholesale.” You’ll see it on signs, websites, and receipts. It often works best when the English sentence talks about quantities, bulk orders, or a pricing break.
Mayoreo
Mayoreo is common in Mexico and parts of Central America for “wholesale” as a noun, like “wholesale sales.” In Spain, it can sound regional or less common than venta mayorista. If your audience is Latin America, mayoreo can feel natural in business talk.
Minorista And Al Por Menor
Spanish often pairs wholesale language with retail language. Minorista is “retail” as an adjective or “retailer” as a noun. Al por menor is “retail,” especially in Spain, and shows up in comparison phrases.
How To Choose The Right Translation Fast
Use this quick check. It keeps you from mixing a business label with a sales-method phrase.
Step 1: Decide If You Mean A Person, A Business, Or A Price Tier
If you’re talking about a supplier, a distributor, or a trade buyer, reach for mayorista. It can refer to the company or the role.
Step 2: Decide If You Mean “In Bulk”
If the sentence is about buying many units, bulk cartons, case packs, or order minimums, use al por mayor. It reads like a real sign in a store window.
Step 3: Match The Region
For Spain, mayorista and al por mayor handle most needs. For Mexico and nearby regions, mayoreo shows up often next to mayorista. If you’re writing for a mixed audience, keep mayorista as your anchor and use mayoreo only when it clearly fits.
Wholesale Vocabulary Map
This table groups the most useful options and shows what each one tends to mean in real usage. If you only memorize a few items, pick the first four rows and you’ll be set for most conversations, homework, and emails.
| Spanish Term | What It Means In Plain English | Where You’ll See It |
|---|---|---|
| mayorista | wholesale; wholesaler | Invoices, supplier sites, business labels |
| al por mayor | in bulk; at wholesale price | Store signs, price lists, online catalogs |
| precio mayorista | wholesale price | Quotes, product sheets, negotiation |
| venta mayorista | wholesale sales | Business descriptions, ads, service pages |
| mayoreo | wholesale trade (noun) | Mexico, Central America, trade talk |
| distribuidor(a) | distributor | Supply chains, B2B listings |
| proveedor(a) | supplier | Purchasing, sourcing, vendor lists |
| minorista / al por menor | retail; at retail price | Wholesale vs retail comparisons |
Pronunciation And Gender Notes
Mayorista breaks down like “ma-yo-REE-sta.” The stress lands on the “ris.” It works as masculine or feminine when it refers to a person: el mayorista (a male wholesaler), la mayorista (a female wholesaler). When it describes a thing, it stays the same form: precio mayorista, tarifa mayorista.
Al por mayor is a fixed phrase. You don’t change its words for gender or number. You also don’t treat it like a single adjective in front of a noun. In Spanish, it often sits after a verb or after a noun phrase: Vendo al por mayor or ventas al por mayor.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
These slip-ups show up in school writing and business messages. Fixing them makes your Spanish sound clean right away.
Using “Por Mayor” Without “Al”
You may hear por mayor in fast speech, yet in writing it’s safer to use the full phrase al por mayor. That’s what you’ll see on formal pricing pages and documents.
Putting “Al Por Mayor” Before The Noun
English says “wholesale prices.” Spanish usually says precios al por mayor or precios mayoristas. Both work, yet they carry a different feel. Precios mayoristas feels like a pricing tier. Precios al por mayor feels like bulk pricing tied to quantity.
Translating “Wholesale” As “Total”
Some learners confuse “wholesale” with “whole.” Spanish uses total for “whole” or “entire,” not for the trade meaning. For the trade meaning, stick with mayorista or al por mayor.
Forgetting The Retail Pair
If you’re writing a comparison, Spanish readers expect the retail term too. Pair mayorista with minorista, or pair al por mayor with al por menor, and your contrast will read naturally.
One more tip: on storefronts you may see “venta al mayoreo” in Mexico and “venta al por mayor” in Spain. Both point to bulk sales. If you’re studying, note the root mayor links to “greater quantity.” It helps you pick the term.
Ready-To-Use Sentences For Class And Work
Below are natural sentences you can adapt. Swap product names and quantities and you’re done.
Buying In Bulk
- Quiero comprar al por mayor para conseguir mejor precio.
- ¿Tienen precios mayoristas si pido 100 unidades?
- Busco un proveedor que venda al por mayor.
Selling Wholesale
- Vendemos ropa al por mayor y también al por menor.
- Somos una empresa mayorista con pedidos mínimos por caja.
- Ofrecemos venta mayorista para tiendas y revendedores.
Talking About A Wholesaler
- El mayorista me dio una lista de precios por volumen.
- Trabajo con una mayorista que entrega en 48 horas.
- Necesito contactar al distribuidor para abrir una cuenta.
Wholesale Phrases You’ll See On Documents
Business Spanish reuses a small set of patterns. Learning them helps you read invoices and write messages that sound normal.
Pricing And Terms
- tarifa mayorista (wholesale rate)
- precio por volumen (volume pricing)
- pedido mínimo (minimum order)
- descuento por cantidad (quantity discount)
- lista de precios (price list)
Accounts And Billing
- cuenta mayorista (wholesale account)
- factura (invoice)
- condiciones de pago (payment terms)
- plazo de entrega (lead time)
Quick Comparison Table For Choosing A Phrase
Use this table when you’re stuck between mayorista and al por mayor. It shows which one fits the sentence shape and the idea you’re trying to express.
| What You Want To Say | Spanish That Fits | Tip For Sounding Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale price | precio mayorista | Use for a set pricing tier, often B2B. |
| Sold in bulk | se vende al por mayor | Great for signs and product pages. |
| Wholesale business | negocio mayorista | Pairs well with “minorista” in comparisons. |
| Wholesale sales (LatAm) | ventas de mayoreo | Reads most natural in Mexico-focused writing. |
| Wholesale buyer | cliente mayorista | Use when talking about who gets the rate. |
| Wholesale and retail | al por mayor y al por menor | Classic pairing, clear and familiar. |
Mini Practice: Turn English Into Spanish
Try these quick swaps. Say them out loud once. Then tweak the nouns to match your topic.
Practice Set
- “Do you sell wholesale?” → ¿Venden al por mayor?
- “I need a wholesaler.” → Necesito un mayorista.
- “Wholesale price list” → lista de precios mayoristas
- “Wholesale and retail prices” → precios al por mayor y al por menor
One-Message Templates You Can Copy
Use these as short messages to a supplier. Keep your details clear: product, quantity, delivery city, and a target date.
Template 1: Asking For Wholesale Pricing
Hola, me interesa abrir una cuenta mayorista. ¿Me pueden enviar su lista de precios y el pedido mínimo por producto?
Template 2: Asking If They Sell In Bulk
Hola, ¿venden al por mayor? Quisiera saber el descuento por cantidad para 200 unidades y el plazo de entrega.
Template 3: Saying You Sell Wholesale And Retail
Vendemos al por mayor y al por menor. Si usted es cliente mayorista, podemos compartir precio mayorista según cantidad.
Checklist For Picking The Right Term
- If you mean the sector or the buyer, choose mayorista.
- If you mean bulk selling or bulk buying, choose al por mayor.
- If your audience is Mexico-focused and you need a noun for wholesale trade, mayoreo can fit.
- For a clean contrast, pair wholesale with minorista or al por menor.
- When writing prices, precio mayorista and precios al por mayor both work; pick based on tier vs quantity.
Once you pick the right form, the rest is just plug-and-play: add your product, your quantity, and your time frame. That’s all it takes to sound natural when you talk about wholesale in Spanish.