comprar
/komˈpɾaɾ/
To buy in Spanish is comprar.
The verb comprar is used to describe the act of obtaining something by paying money for it. Related terms you might encounter when shopping include dinero (money), precio (price) and tienda (store).
Which one should you use?
While comprar is the standard way to say to buy, the verb adquirir is a more formal way to express the idea of acquiring or purchasing something.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes based on tense and person. For example, compré is the first-person singular preterite form, meaning 'I bought'.
How do you pronounce it?
/komˈpɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the phrase comprar gato por liebre means 'to buy a cat instead of a hare'. It is used to describe being cheated or tricked into buying a low-quality product instead of a premium one.
- When talking about 'buying' a ticket for a concert or a bus, Spanish speakers frequently use the verb sacar instead of comprar, meaning 'to take out' or 'to extract'.
- The Spanish verb comprar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'compare', as both stem from the Latin root meaning 'to bring together' or 'to match'.
Examples in context
- ¿Vas a comprar eso?Are you going to buy that?This sentence uses comprar to ask if someone is going to buy something.Tatoeba #8646089 by herchx, translation #3738672 by CK
- No van a comprar pan.They're not going to buy bread.This sentence uses comprar to state that people are not going to buy bread.Tatoeba #5016928 by don_ramon, translation #13632224 by araneo
- Tengo que comprar uno.I need to buy one.This sentence uses comprar to express a need to buy one thing.Tatoeba #668418 by Shishir, translation #955009 by CM
- Yo compro frutas frescas en el mercado.I buy fresh fruits at the market.
- Él compra una nueva computadora.He buys a new computer.
- Ellos compran regalos para su familia.They buy presents for their family.
- Voy a comprarme una bicicleta nueva.I'm going to buy myself a new bicycle.
- Decidieron adquirir una casa en las afueras.They decided to acquire a house in the outskirts.
- 618 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is planning their grocery shopping.
- Daniel¿Qué vamos a comprar hoy, Lucía?What are we going to buy today, Lucía?
- LucíaNecesitamos comprar frutas y verduras.We need to buy fruits and vegetables.
- DanielYo puedo comprar el pan.I can buy the bread.
- LucíaGracias, Daniel, eres muy amable.Thanks, Daniel, you are very kind.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comprar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comprar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
