Meaning and behavior
What does comprar mean?
Comprar means to buy (to obtain in exchange of money or goods). VerbyGo classifies it as a regular -AR verb. It is non-reflexive.
to buy out.
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- comprar
- Gerund
- comprando
- Past participle
- comprado
Regular -AR pattern
How this verb behaves
Comprar follows the regular -ar pattern in the four tenses shown here.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of comprar for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compro |
| tú | compras |
| él / ella / usted | compra |
| nosotros / nosotras | compramos |
| vosotros / vosotras | compráis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | compran |
Present forms
Present progressive
Use present estar with comprando for an action in progress now.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy comprando |
| tú | estás comprando |
| él / ella / usted | está comprando |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos comprando |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis comprando |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están comprando |
Present forms
Present perfect
Use present haber with comprado for a completed action connected to the present.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | he comprado |
| tú | has comprado |
| él / ella / usted | ha comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han comprado |
Present forms
Present perfect continuous
Use present haber, estado and comprando to emphasize an activity continuing into the present.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | he estado comprando |
| tú | has estado comprando |
| él / ella / usted | ha estado comprando |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos estado comprando |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis estado comprando |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han estado comprando |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of comprar is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compré |
| tú | compraste |
| él / ella / usted | compró |
| nosotros / nosotras | compramos |
| vosotros / vosotras | comprasteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | compraron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of comprar, or for background information.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compraba |
| tú | comprabas |
| él / ella / usted | compraba |
| nosotros / nosotras | comprábamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | comprabais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | compraban |
Past forms
Past perfect
Use imperfect haber with comprado for an action completed before another past point.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | había comprado |
| tú | habías comprado |
| él / ella / usted | había comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habíamos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habíais comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habían comprado |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of comprar for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compraré |
| tú | comprarás |
| él / ella / usted | comprará |
| nosotros / nosotras | compraremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | compraréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | comprarán |
Future and conditional
Future perfect
Use future haber with comprado for an action that will be complete before a future point.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | habré comprado |
| tú | habrás comprado |
| él / ella / usted | habrá comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habremos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habréis comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrán comprado |
Future and conditional
Simple conditional
Use the conditional forms of comprar for hypothetical or tactful statements.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compraría |
| tú | comprarías |
| él / ella / usted | compraría |
| nosotros / nosotras | compraríamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | compraríais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | comprarían |
Future and conditional
Conditional perfect
Use conditional haber with comprado for a hypothetical completed past action.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | habría comprado |
| tú | habrías comprado |
| él / ella / usted | habría comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habríamos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habríais comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrían comprado |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compre |
| tú | compres |
| él / ella / usted | compre |
| nosotros / nosotras | compremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | compréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | compren |
Subjunctive forms
Perfect subjunctive
Use present-subjunctive haber with comprado for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | haya comprado |
| tú | hayas comprado |
| él / ella / usted | haya comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hayamos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | hayáis comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan comprado |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | compraraAlso accepted: comprase |
| tú | comprarasAlso accepted: comprases |
| él / ella / usted | compraraAlso accepted: comprase |
| nosotros / nosotras | compráramosAlso accepted: comprásemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | compraraisAlso accepted: compraseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | compraranAlso accepted: comprasen |
Subjunctive forms
Past perfect subjunctive
Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with comprado for an unreal or earlier completed past action.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera compradoAlso accepted: hubiese comprado |
| tú | hubieras compradoAlso accepted: hubieses comprado |
| él / ella / usted | hubiera compradoAlso accepted: hubiese comprado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hubiéramos compradoAlso accepted: hubiésemos comprado |
| vosotros / vosotras | hubierais compradoAlso accepted: hubieseis comprado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hubieran compradoAlso accepted: hubiesen comprado |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of comprar that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| tú | compra |
| usted | compre |
| nosotros / nosotras | compremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | comprad |
| ustedes | compren |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of comprar.
| Subject | Comprar |
|---|---|
| tú | no compres |
| usted | no compre |
| nosotros / nosotras | no compremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no compréis |
| ustedes | no compren |
Verified context
Examples with comprar
Yo no compré el libro.
I didn't buy the book.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRYo te compro una nueva.
I'll buy you a new one.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRYo te compro uno nuevo.
I'll buy you a new one.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Comprar FAQ
What does comprar mean?
Comprar means to buy (to obtain in exchange of money or goods).
Is comprar regular or irregular?
Comprar is a regular -AR verb.
What is the gerund of comprar?
The gerund of comprar is comprando.
What is the past participle of comprar?
The past participle of comprar is comprado.
How is comprar conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is compro, compras, compra, compramos, compran.
How is comprar conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is compré, compraste, compró, compramos, compraron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.
