comprar
/kom-prar/
to buy
The most common meaning of comprar is 'to buy' or 'to purchase' goods.
comprar(Verb)
to buy
?general use
to purchase
?slightly more formal
,to shop for
?when talking about acquiring specific items
📝 In Action
Voy a comprar pan en la tienda.
A1I'm going to buy bread at the store.
¿Qué compraste en el mercado?
A2What did you buy at the market?
Compramos los boletos para el concierto en línea.
B1We bought the tickets for the concert online.
💡 Grammar Points
Buying for Someone
To say who you're buying something for, use 'para'. For example, 'Compro un regalo para mi madre' (I'm buying a gift for my mom). You can also use little words like 'le' or 'te' before the verb: 'Le compro un regalo' (I'm buying a gift for her).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'comprar' and 'vender'
Mistake: "El dueño me compra el coche por cinco mil euros."
Correction: El dueño me vende el coche... (The owner sells me the car...). Remember: 'comprar' is what you do, 'vender' is what the store or seller does.
⭐ Usage Tips
Activity vs. Action
Use 'ir de compras' for the general activity of 'going shopping'. Use 'comprar' for the specific action of buying an item. 'Vamos de compras' (Let's go shopping) vs. 'Vamos a comprar leche' (Let's go buy milk).
In a figurative and informal context, comprar can mean 'to bribe' or 'to buy off' someone for silence or influence.
comprar(Verb)
to bribe
?paying for an illegal favor
to buy off
?paying someone to stay quiet or do something illicit
📝 In Action
Intentaron comprar al juez para ganar el caso.
B2They tried to bribe the judge to win the case.
No puedes comprar su silencio para siempre.
C1You can't buy his silence forever.
💡 Grammar Points
Bribing a Person
When you use 'comprar' to mean 'bribe', you need to put 'a' before the person you are bribing. For example, 'comprar al político' (to bribe the politician).
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
This meaning is understood from the situation. If someone is talking about a court case and says 'compraron al testigo' (they bought the witness), it clearly means 'bribed', not that they literally purchased a person.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: comprar
Question 1 of 1
In the sentence 'El político corrupto intentó comprar mi voto,' what does 'comprar' mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'comprar' and 'ir de compras'?
'Comprar' is the specific action of buying something ('Voy a comprar leche'). 'Ir de compras' is the general activity of 'going shopping,' which might involve browsing several stores without buying anything ('El sábado vamos de compras').
How do I say 'I bought it FOR you'?
You can say 'Lo compré para ti.' The word 'para' shows who the purchase is for. A very common and natural way is to use 'te' before the verb: 'Te lo compré,' where 'te' means '(for) you'.