買う
kau[ka̠ɯ̟]
To buy in Japanese is 買う. If unsure, use 買う (kau). Wiktionary also lists 購入する (kōnyū suru).
Meaning: to obtain something with money (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 買う | kau | [ka̠ɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 購入する | kōnyū suru |
The Japanese language uses different words for 'to buy' depending on whether you are in a casual conversation or a formal business setting.
Which one should you use?
買う is the standard, everyday way to express 'to buy' in casual conversation. In contrast, 購入する is a more formal and technical term that you will often find in business, official documents or e-commerce contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 買う can be conjugated into several forms: the polite form is 買います, the past tense is 買った and the negative form is 買わない.
How do you pronounce it?
kau
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word 買う is used to describe 'buying' a fight or 'buying' a challenge, meaning to accept a provocation.
- The phrase 買い被る means to overrate someone or overestimate their abilities, literally translating to 'buying too much' of a person.
- When shopping, you will often hear 買います replaced by the phrase お願いします (please/I request), which is a more polite way to indicate you want to purchase an item.
Examples in context
- それ買うよ。I'll buy it.This sentence shows how to use 買う to express a decision to buy something.Tatoeba #9119413 by small_snow, translation #2160876 by Hybrid
- トムは何を買う？What'll Tom buy?This sentence demonstrates how to use 買う to ask a question about a purchase.Tatoeba #7577218 by Nishin, translation #12577007 by CK
- 新車を買うつもりだ。I am going to buy a new car.This sentence shows the use of 買う when expressing an intention to buy something.Tatoeba #145267 by small_snow, translation #258819 by CK
- この店では、商品を買うことができます。You can buy products at this store.
- お客様はお買い上げになりましたか？Did you make a purchase, sir/madam?
- 私は新しい本を買おうと思っています。I'm thinking of buying a new book.
- ケーキを買っちゃった！I bought a cake!
- 263 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are at a convenience store.
- 結衣 Yui健太、飲み物を買う？Kenta, nomimono o kau?Kenta, do you want to buy a drink?
- 健太 Kentaうん、お茶を買うよ。Un, ocha o kau yo.Yes, I'll buy some green tea.
- 結衣 Yui私はお菓子を買うね。Watashi wa okashi o kau ne.I'll buy some snacks.
- 健太 Kentaいいよ。じゃあ行こう。Ii yo. Jaa ikou.Sounds good. Let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buy” translations and entries 買う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
