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En la mensajería venden grapas y sobres a buen precio.

En la mensajería venden grapas y sobres a buen precio.
At the courier office they sell staples and envelopes at a good price.
FromLesson 39inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about En la mensajería venden grapas y sobres a buen precio.

What does mensajería refer to here?
In Latin America, mensajería most commonly means a courier or parcel-shipping service (like a place where you send packages). Many such shops also sell mailing and office supplies (envelopes, tape, etc.), so the sentence is natural. If you want to refer specifically to a stationery/office-supply shop, the more typical word is papelería. Depending on the country, you might also see paquetería (package-shipping place).
Why is it en la mensajería and not a la mensajería?
En means “in/at,” indicating location: you are talking about what happens at that place. A means “to,” indicating movement or direction (e.g., Voy a la mensajería, “I’m going to the courier place”). Here we need location, so en is correct.
Why is venden used with no subject? Who is “they”?
Spanish often uses the 3rd-person plural to make an impersonal or indefinite statement: Venden… = “They sell …” meaning “(People) sell … there” or “The shop sells ….” It’s like English “They say…”/“They sell…”. The subject is understood and general, not a specific “they.”
Could I say La mensajería vende grapas y sobres… instead?
Yes. La mensajería vende grapas y sobres a buen precio is perfectly correct. It names the shop as the subject rather than using the impersonal venden. Another common option is the impersonal passive: En la mensajería se venden grapas y sobres a buen precio.
Why is there no article before grapas y sobres?
In Spanish, when talking about things in general or in a nonspecific amount, plural count nouns often appear with no article: Venden grapas y sobres = “They sell staples and envelopes (in general).” If you said unos sobres, it would suggest “some envelopes” (a limited, somewhat vague quantity).
Does grapas mean “paper clips”?

No. Grapas are staples (the metal bits you shoot from a stapler). Paper clips are usually clips (de papel). Regional notes:

  • Mexico, much of LA: grapas (staples), engrapadora (stapler)
  • Argentina/Uruguay: grampas (staples), abrochadora (stapler)
  • Chile: often corchetes (staples), corchetera (stapler)
What does sobres mean? I thought sobre meant “about/on.”
Sobre as a noun means “envelope”; plural sobres = “envelopes.” As a preposition, sobre means “on, over, about” (e.g., un libro sobre historia = “a book about history”). Context tells you which meaning is intended.
What does a buen precio literally mean, and why use a?
Literally “at good price.” The preposition a corresponds to English “at” for prices and rates: a buen precio, a 10 dólares, a 100 km/h. It’s a set phrase meaning “for a good price / at a good price.”
Why buen and not bueno?
Bueno drops the final -o (apocope) to buen before a singular masculine noun: buen precio, buen libro. After the noun you use the full form: un precio bueno (possible, but here the set phrase is buen precio).
Can I say a un buen precio?
Yes: a buen precio and a un buen precio are both correct. Without un is a very common fixed expression. Adding un can make it feel a bit more specific (“at a/one good price”).
Why not a buenos precios since we’re talking about multiple items?
A buen precio is idiomatic and stays singular regardless of how many items you’re buying. You can say a buenos precios, but it usually implies there are multiple distinct good prices (e.g., a range of bargains). The default is the singular set phrase.
If I use barato instead, how does agreement work, and is the tone the same?
Agreement: since grapas (fem. pl.) and sobres (masc. pl.) are mixed, the adjective goes to masculine plural: Las grapas y los sobres son baratos. Tone: barato(s) can imply “cheap” (possibly low quality). A buen precio is more neutral/positive (“well-priced, good deal”).
Is the grammar okay if I switch the order to Venden grapas y sobres en la mensajería?
Yes. Both En la mensajería venden… and Venden … en la mensajería are fine. Placing the location first (En la mensajería…) is a common way to set the scene or topic.
Could I use hay instead of venden?
You can say En la mensajería hay grapas y sobres, which means “There are staples and envelopes at the courier place.” Hay states existence/availability; venden emphasizes that the store sells them (as merchandise). With price, you’d usually keep the selling frame: Venden … a buen precio or Están a buen precio.
Can I say Están a buen precio?
Yes, if you’ve already introduced the items: En la mensajería, las grapas y los sobres están a buen precio. This focuses on their price rather than the act of selling.
Is mensajería feminine, and what are the genders of the other nouns?
Do I ever change y to e before sobres?
No. Y only changes to e before words that start with the sound /i/ (spelled i- or hi- with a vowel sound), like e hijos, e iglesias. Sobres starts with /s/, so you keep y: grapas y sobres.
Any pronunciation tips for this sentence (Latin American Spanish)?
  • mensajería: stress on -rí-; the j is a harsh H sound; the v in venden and sobres is like a soft B; precio has an S sound for c before i (pre-see-o).
  • Single r in precio is a tap; grapas has a hard g.
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