Why Vender Is More Than "To Sell"
Vender is the verb of for-sale signs, shop shelves, and sales pitches. It is regular, and Spanish loves the impersonal se with it: se vende on a sign, se venden for more than one item. The price goes after por.
Learn these six patterns as whole chunks and you will read signs, name prices, and spot a sales pitch without translating word by word.
Pattern 1: Se vende — "For sale"
The classic sign on houses, cars, and shop windows. Use se vende for one item and se venden for several, and add se alquila for "for rent". For more on se patterns, see Reflexive Verbs Chunks.
- Se vende casa. — House for sale.
- Se venden bicicletas usadas. — Used bicycles for sale.
- Se vende coche en buen estado. — Car for sale in good condition.
Chunk to learn:
Se vende + [thing] / Se venden + [things]
Pattern 2: Vender por… — "To sell for…"
Use por for the price you sold at or ask for. It is the natural verb for secondhand deals and negotiations. For more on por, see Por vs. Para Chunks.
- Vendo mi coche por mil euros. — I'm selling my car for a thousand euros.
- Lo vendí por la mitad. — I sold it for half.
- ¿Por cuánto lo vendes? — How much are you selling it for?
Chunk to learn:
Vender + [thing] + por + [price] / ¿Por cuánto lo vendes?
Pattern 3: ¿Venden…? — "Do you sell…?"
In a shop, the plural venden addresses the staff: "do you people sell…?". It is the question to ask when you do not see what you need. For more on buying, see [Comprar] Chunks.
- ¿Venden pilas aquí? — Do you sell batteries here?
- ¿Dónde venden sellos? — Where do they sell stamps?
- Aquí no venden alcohol. — They don't sell alcohol here.
Chunk to learn:
¿Venden + [thing] (aquí)? / ¿Dónde venden + [thing]?
Pattern 4: Estar en venta — "To be on sale"
The noun venta covers the act of selling. Estar en venta means something is available to buy, and a la venta says a new product has been released.
- La casa está en venta. — The house is for sale.
- El libro sale a la venta mañana. — The book goes on sale tomorrow.
- Las entradas ya están a la venta. — Tickets are on sale now.
Chunk to learn:
Estar en venta / Salir a la venta / Estar a la venta
Pattern 5: Se vende como pan caliente — "It sells like hot cakes"
Venderse describes how a product sells. Add bien or mal for a simple verdict, and use the idiom with hot bread for a hit.
- Se vende como pan caliente. — It sells like hot cakes.
- Este modelo se vende muy bien. — This model sells very well.
- El libro se vendió rápido. — The book sold quickly.
Chunk to learn:
Venderse bien / mal / como pan caliente
Pattern 6: Vender la moto — "To sell someone a line"
A figurative use: to persuade someone with exaggeration or false promises. Vender la moto is common in Spain, and vender humo, "to sell smoke", is understood widely. Use them when someone is overselling.
- No me vendas la moto. — Don't try to sell me a line.
- Me quiso vender la moto. — He tried to sell me a line.
- Ese político solo vende humo. — That politician only sells hot air.
Chunk to learn:
Vender la moto / Vender humo
Vender vs. Comprar
Vender and comprar are the two sides of a deal, and the same noun can be on both: Yo vendo y tú compras. For the money that moves between them, see [Pagar] Chunks.
Start with se vende and ¿venden…?. You will use both the next time you speak Spanish.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.