vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Comerciar" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to trade", and "traficar" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to traffic in". Learn more about the difference between "comerciar" and "traficar" below.
comerciar(
koh
-
mehr
-
syahr
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to do business
Las dos empresas comerciaban con la intención de crear un monopolio.The two companies did business with the intention of establishing a monopoly.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
traficar(
trah
-
fee
-
kahr
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to traffic in
Mi vecino fue detenido por traficar con drogas.My neighbor was arrested for trafficking in drugs.
b. to traffic
Los piratas traficaban con mujeres y esclavos.The pirates trafficked women and slaves.
c. to deal in
La policía sabe que la familia trafica con drogas y armas pero no tienen pruebas.The police know the family deal in drugs and weapons but they have no evidence.
d. to deal
Guillermo había empezado a traficar con drogas a los 15 años.Guillermo had started dealing drugs at 15.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
2. (to trade) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to traffic in
La policía arrestó a la banda de médicos que traficaba órganos.The police arrested the gang of doctors who were trafficking in organs.
b. to traffic
El empresario llevaba años traficando droga.The businessman had been trafficking drugs for years.
c. to deal in
El galerista traficaba obras de arte de origen dudoso.The gallery owner was dealing in works of art of dubious origin.
d. to deal
Había una persona que traficaba cocaína y heroína en el campus.There was a person on campus who was dealing cocaine and heroin .
