What’s the past tense of “buy”?
What’s the past tense of buy? The word and verb buy (sounds like by or bye, and are homophones) describes the action of getting something by paying for it . . . with money. Anyway, let’s begin with some elementary facts on the irregular verb buy:
- Buy is an irregular verb; i.e., neither of its past verb forms end in “ed”.
- Both the past tense and past participle forms of buy are bought.
- Brought is the past tense and past participle of the verb bring—not buy.
Tenses of “buy”
| present | past | future | |
|---|---|---|---|
| simple | I buy | I bought | I will buy |
| continuous | I am buying | I was buying | I will be buying |
| perfect | I have bought | I had bought | I will have bought |
| perfect continuous | I have been buying | I had been buying | I will have been buying |
If bought is used in the same sentence as have/had (auxiliary verbs), then it is as a past participle. The same for the present participle with forms of ‘be’/’am’.
Other ough- verbs
| Present | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| teach | taught | taught |
| buy | bought | bought |
| bring | brought | brought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| seek | sought | sought |
“Buy” and “Bought” used in sentences
| Sentences with “buy” | Sentences with “bought” |
|---|---|
|
He said it was a mistake, but I don’t buy it. These are the best ski helmets available to buy right now. Stock prices are low, so now is a good time to buy. And its slip-on loafer is perhaps the easiest one to buy on Amazon. |
He bought me a new coat. He bought the quilt from a local artist. She bought it off eBay for $50. I bought this hat for $10. I bought my car second-hand. |
“buy” past tense is “bought,” visualize buying something with money, not bringing it.
Synonyms of buy
- purchase
- acquire
- deal
- pay
- invest
Origin of the word buy
Middle English bien, from Old English bycgan “get by paying for, acquire the possession of in exchange for something of like value; redeem, ransom; procure; get done,” from Proto-Germanic *bugjan.
Learn more about grammar
| Commonly misused words | UK English vs. US English |
|---|---|
| former vs. latter | burned or burnt? |
| bear vs. bare | color or colour? |
| breathe vs. breath | favorite vs. favourite |
| compliment vs. complement | smelled or smelt? |
| affect vs. effect | gray or grey? |
| elude vs. allude | favor vs. favour |
| it’s or its | analyze or analyse? |
Worksheet: irregular verbs
She a new book from the store last week.
He has already his ticket for the concert.
She snacks to the party yesterday.
If you your lunch, you won’t be hungry later.
We gifts for everyone at the holiday party last year.
FAQs
The past tense of the irregular verb “buy” is “bought.” Unlike regular verbs, it does not end in “ed.” “Bought” describes the action of getting something by paying money for it.
“Bought” is the past tense and past participle of “buy” (to purchase). “Brought” is the past tense and past participle of “bring” (to transport). Using them interchangeably is incorrect.
No, the post states that “buy” is an irregular verb. Irregular verbs do not form their past tense by adding “ed”; both the simple past and past participle forms of “buy” are “bought.”
“Bought” is used as a past participle when it appears in a sentence with auxiliary verbs like “have” or “had.” An example from the post is: “We have bought all the necessary equipment.”
Remember that “bought” is related to “buy” (paying for something), and “brought” is related to “bring” (transporting something). Visualize the action of buying with money versus bringing something.
Sources
-
Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of buy.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/buy. Accessed 14 January, 2023.
Yash, D. "Bought or Brought? (Which is the Right Word?)." Grammarflex, Aug 24, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/bought-or-brought/.
