regatear
verbCEFR B2
What does “regatear” mean in English?
to haggle, to bargain
to haggle, to bargain (regatear el precio/las condiciones — negotiating insistently over details; more informal than negociar)
Example sentences
En algunos mercados de ese sector es habitual regatear el precio antes de llegar a una cifra definitiva.
In some markets in that sector, it is common practice to haggle over the price before settling on a final figure.
Intentó regatear las condiciones, pero el proveedor no estaba dispuesto a bajar más el precio.
He tried to haggle over the terms, but the supplier was not willing to lower the price any further.
La empresa decidió no regatear y aceptó las condiciones originales para cerrar el trato rápidamente.
The company decided not to haggle and accepted the original terms to close the deal quickly.
How to use it
Regatear means 'to haggle' or 'to bargain' — to negotiate aggressively over price, often in a market or vendor context. It carries a slightly informal or colloquial register compared to negociar. Pattern: regatear el precio / regatear las condiciones. Important register distinction: regatear implies going back and forth over minor details; negociar is more structured and professional. In formal business negotiations, using regatear suggests the process is considered petty or commercially necessary but undignified. Antonym of the firm stance implied by cerrar un acuerdo sin regatear.
Common mistake
Register warning: regatear can sound dismissive or informal in formal negotiations. In B2 professional writing, negociar is the safer choice unless the haggling dimension is specifically intended. Also: regatear can be used in football to mean 'to dribble past an opponent' — a completely different meaning that learners from certain backgrounds may confuse with the business sense.