買う
kau[ka̠ɯ̟]
The Japanese phrase for "to buy" is 買う (kau).
The verb means to obtain something by paying money for it. In casual conversation, the dictionary form 買う is used to state plain facts or speak informally. You can also use the phrase 贅沢に買っちゃう to informally emphasize the act of indulging in luxury or making unnecessary purchases.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes depending on the tense and politeness required. The polite non-past form is 買います, and the polite past tense is 買いました. In informal settings, the negative form is 買わない (do not buy). To express a desire to buy something, use the stem form plus たい to get 買いたい (want to buy). For a polite request, use 買ってください (please buy).
How do you pronounce it?
kau
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the phrase 買う can be used to mean 'to take a risk' or 'to accept a challenge', such as in the expression 喧嘩を 買う (to buy a fight).
- The verb 買う is used in the idiom 買う to mean that you admire or value someone's character or courage, even if you do not literally purchase anything.
- A 買い叩き occurs when a buyer uses their power to force a seller to accept a price that is unfairly low, effectively 'beating down' the price.
Examples in context
- 新車を買うつもりだ。I am going to buy a new car.This sentence uses 買う to describe an intention to buy a new car.Tatoeba #145267 by small_snow, translation #258819 by CK
- それ買うつもりなの？Are you going to buy that?This sentence uses 買う to ask if someone intends to buy something.Tatoeba #8791937 by bunbuku, translation #3738672 by CK
- 明日、携帯買うんだよ。I'm going to buy a cell phone tomorrow.This sentence uses 買う to state a plan to buy a cell phone tomorrow.Tatoeba #672303 by arihato, translation #684698 by notrwanda
- クリスマスプレゼントを買います。I will buy a Christmas present.
- どの色をお買いになりますか？Which color would you like to buy?
- 明日、漫画を買うつもりだ。I plan to buy manga tomorrow.
- このドレス、贅沢に買っちゃったんだ。I ended up buying this dress indulgently.
- 183 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are at a bookstore.
- 蓮 Renこの本を買うよ。Kono hon o kau yo.I'm going to buy this book.
- 結衣 Yuiいい本だと思うよ。Ii hon da to omou yo.I think it's a good book.
- 蓮 Ren結衣も何か買う？Yui mo nanika kau?Do you want to buy something too, Yui?
- 結衣 Yui私は何も買わないよ。Watashi wa nanimo kawanai yo.I'm not buying anything.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 買う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
