elástico
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “elástico” mean in English?
elastic — able to stretch and return; figuratively: flexible/responsive
elastic — able to stretch and return; figuratively: flexible/responsive (economics: demanda elástica = price-sensitive demand)
Example sentences
La demanda de bienes de lujo es muy poco elástica: los compradores no reducen su consumo cuando suben los precios.
Demand for luxury goods is very inelastic: buyers do not reduce their consumption when prices rise.
El mercado laboral necesita ser más elástico para adaptarse con rapidez a los ciclos de expansión y contracción económica.
The labour market needs to be more elastic to adapt quickly to economic expansion and contraction cycles.
Los tejidos elásticos son los más utilizados en ropa deportiva gracias a su capacidad de adaptarse al movimiento.
Elastic fabrics are the most commonly used in sportswear because of their ability to adapt to movement.
How to use it
Elástico/a means 'elastic' — able to stretch and return to original form (physical sense), or flexible/responsive (figurative sense). Takes ser. At B2, the economic sense is important: la demanda es elástica (demand is elastic — responsive to price changes) vs la demanda es inelástica (demand is inelastic — not responsive). This price-elasticity vocabulary is standard in economics at B2+. Figuratively: una agenda elástica (a flexible schedule), una definición elástica (a loose/flexible definition).
Common mistake
In economics, elástico/inelástico describes how demand or supply responds to price changes — an essential B2 economics register term. In everyday use, elástico = stretchy (fabric, material). The figurative sense (flexible, accommodating) also occurs. Don't confuse with flexible — flexible is broader and more common in non-economics contexts. La demanda elástica specifically belongs to economics register.