Names of Stores and Shops in Spanish

Planning to do some shopping when you visit Spanish speaking country? It would be a good idea to learn one of the most common suffixes used with Spanish nouns, -ería, typically used to indicate where something is made or sold.

You'll run into the word most often as the names of specialty stores, such as zapatería for shoe store and joyería for jewelry store. It is less commonly used for a place where an item is manufactured or processed, such as herrería for an ironworks or blacksmith's shop.

Names for Stores and Shops

Following are some examples of shop names using -ería. All of these nouns are feminine in gender. This list is far from complete but includes most of them you're likely to come across.

• aguardentería — liquor store (from aguardiente, moonshine or liquor)
• azucarería — sugar shop (from azúcar, sugar)
• bizcochería — pastry shop (from bizcocho, type of cake or biscuit; this term is most common in Mexico)
• boletería — ticket office, box office (from boleto, admission ticket)
• cafetería — coffeeshop, snack bar (from café, coffee)
• calcetería — hosiery shop (from calceta, sock or knitting)
• carnicería — butcher shop (from caherrrne, meat)
• charcutería — delicatessen (from French charcuterie; term used in Spain)
• cervecería — brewery, bar (from cerveza, beer)
• confitería — candy store (from confite, candy)
• droguería — drugstore, variety store (from droga, drug)
• ebanistería — cabinet shop, place where cabinets are made (from ebano, ebony)
• ferretería — hardware store (from an old word for iron)
• floristería — flower shop (from flor, flower)
• frutería — fruit shop (from fruta, fruit)
• heladería — ice-cream parlor (from helado, ice cream)
• herboristería — herbalist's shop (from hierba, herb)
• herrería — blacksmith's shop (from hierra, iron)
• joyería — jewelry shop (from joya, jewel)
• juguetería — toy shop (from juguete, toy)
• lavandería — laundry (from lavar, to wash)
• lechería — dairy (from leche, milk)
• lencería — linen shop, lingerie shop (from lienzo, linen)
• librería — bookstore (from libro, book)
• mueblería — furniture store (from mueble, piece of furniture)
• panadería — bakery (from pan, bread)
• papelería — stationery store (from papel, paper)
• pastelería — pastry shop (from pastel, cake)
• peluquería — hairdresser's shop, beauty shop, barbershop (from peluca, wig)
• perfumería — fragrance shop, perfume store
• pescadería — seafood store (from pez, fish)
• pizzería — pizzeria, pizza parlor (from pizza, pizza)
• platería — silversmith's shop (from plata, silver)
• pulpería — small grocery store (from pulpa, fruit pulp; Latin American term)
• ropavejería — used-clothing store (from ropa vieja, old clothes)
• salchicheria — pork butcher's shop (from salchicha, sausage)
• sastrería — tailor's shop (from sastre, tailor)
• sombrerería — hat shop, hat factory (from sombrero, hat)
• tabaquería — tobacco shop (from tabaco, tobacco)
• tapicería — upholstery shop, furniture store (from tapiz, tapestry)
• tintorería — dry-cleaner's (from tinto, red wine or dye)
• verdulería — produce store, greengrocer's, vegetable market (from verdura, vegetable)
• zapatería — shoe store (from zapato, shoe)

Shopping Vocabulary

Here are some words you may see posted in stores:

• abierto — open
• cajero — cashier
• cerrado — closed
• descuento, rebaja — discount
• empuje — push (on a door)
• entrada — entrance
• jale — pull (on a door)
• oferta — sale
• precios bajos — low prices
• tienda — store or shop

Here are some words and phrases you may find useful when shopping:

• Hola. — Hello, hi
• Por favor. — Please.
• Busco _____. — I'm looking for _____.
• ¿Dónde puedo encontrar _____? — Where can I find _____?
• ¡Me gusta! — I like it!
• ¡Cuál me recomendaría? — Which one would you recommend?
• ¿Hay algo más barato (caro)? — Is there anything cheaper (more expensive)?
• Voy a comprar esto. Voy a comprar estos. — I'll buy this. I'll buy these.
• ¿Habla inglés? — Do you speak English?
• Horario de atención — Times when a business is open.
• Estar en stock, estar fuera stock — To be in stock, to be out of stock.
• Tamaño — Size
• ¿Dónde está el/la _____ más cerca? (Where is the nearest _____?)
• Gracias. — Thanks.

Etymology

The suffix -ería comes from the Latin suffix -arius, which had a far more general usage. In a few cases, the suffix can be used to form a noun from an adjective. For example, the state of being unmarried can be called soltería, from soltero, alone.

The suffix exists in English in the form of "-ary," as in "apothecary," although that suffix also has a more general meaning than does -ería.