Irregular verb
The verb to buy
buy → bought → bought
A2Meaning: to get something by paying money for it · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they buy·he/she/it buys - Past Simple:
bought(said /bɔːt/) - Past participle:
bought(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
buying
Conjugation of the verb to buy
Present Simple
| I | buy |
| You | buy |
| He / She / It | buys |
| We | buy |
| You (pl.) | buy |
| They | buy |
Past Simple
| I | bought |
| You | bought |
| He / She / It | bought |
| We | bought |
| You (pl.) | bought |
| They | bought |
All the forms of the verb to buy
Present Simple
Full pagebuy / buys
“I buy bread every morning.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are buying
“I am buying bread right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagebought
“I bought a new phone yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were buying
“I was buying bread when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has bought
“I have already bought bread.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad bought
“She had already bought bread when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill buy
“I will buy bread tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to buy
“I'm going to buy bread this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould buy
“I would buy bread if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to buy
1. Buying something
- I bought a coffee this morning.
- Where did you buy that jacket?
2. Buying something for someone
Buy + thing + for + person or buy + person + thing.
- I bought a gift for my mum.
- He bought me a coffee.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I paid the book ❌
Buy something: no preposition. Pay for something: with for. I bought a book. I paid £10 for it. When you buy, you get the thing; when you pay, you give the money.
2. Bought and its spelling
In bought, the gh is silent and ough is said /ɔː/: the spelling does not follow the sound. Buy → bought → bought. It is the same with bring → brought.
Going further
Conjugating to buy is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to buy. Now say it out loud.
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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to buy in class
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Related pages: buy
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of buy?+
The Past Simple of buy is bought, the same for every person. The past participle is bought too. Buy → bought → bought.
What is the difference between buy and pay?+
When you buy something, you get it and it becomes yours. When you pay, you give the money. I bought a book and I paid £10 for it. You pay for something, but you buy something (no preposition).
Is it buy him a present or buy a present for him?+
Both are correct. I bought a gift for him (with for) or I bought him a gift (no preposition, the person comes first). Never I bought to him.
What is the difference between buy and purchase?+
Buy is the everyday word. Purchase is formal: you see it in shops, on bills and in business. I bought a sandwich. The company purchased new equipment.
Is it bought or buyed?+
Always bought. Buy is irregular, like bring → brought and think → thought. Its Past Simple is bought, never buyed.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/buy
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.