買う
かう · kau
To buy, to purchase
- to value (highly), to think highly of, to have a high opinion of, to appreciate, to recognize
- to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.), to elicit (e.g. sneers), to invite (e.g. scorn), to evoke, to arouse, to win (someone's favour)
- to accept, to take on, to take up
Other ways to say “to buy” in Japanese →
flat · what is pitch accent?
Example sentences
傘を買うのを忘れました。
かさをかうのをわすれました。
I forgot to buy an umbrella.
Nihoner sentence bank
傘を買うお金までなくしちゃった。
かさをかうおかねまでなくしちゃった。
I even lost the money to buy an umbrella.
Nihoner sentence bank
お土産を買うなら、新京極が便利です。
おみやげをかうなら、しんきょうごくがべんりです。
If you're buying souvenirs, Shinkyogoku is convenient.
Nihoner sentence bank
この店で買うと、ポイントがたくさん貯まる。
このみせでかうと、ぽいんとがたくさんたまる。
If you buy at this store, you earn a lot of points.
Nihoner sentence bank
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Conjugation
| Polite (ます形) | 買いますかいます |
| Polite negative (ません) | 買いませんかいません |
| Polite past (ました) | 買いましたかいました |
| Polite past negative (ませんでした) | 買いませんでしたかいませんでした |
| Let us ~ (ましょう) | 買いましょうかいましょう |
| Masu-stem (連用形) | 買いかい |
| Want to ~ (たい形) | 買いたいかいたい |
| While ~ing (ながら) | 買いながらかいながら |
| Te-form (て形) | 買ってかって |
| Plain past (た形) | 買ったかった |
| Tara-conditional (たら形) | 買ったらかったら |
| Progressive (ている形) | 買っているかっている |
| Plain negative (ない形) | 買わないかわない |
| Plain past negative (なかった形) | 買わなかったかわなかった |
| Negative te-form (なくて) | 買わなくてかわなくて |
| Potential (可能形) | 買えるかえる |
| Ba-conditional (条件形) | 買えばかえば |
| Imperative (命令形) | 買えかえ |
| Volitional (意向形) | 買おうかおう |
| Passive (受身形) | 買われるかわれる |
| Causative (使役形) | 買わせるかわせる |
| Causative-passive (使役受身形) | 買わされるかわされる |
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Words that share a kanji
Questions
What does 買う mean?
To buy, to purchase. It can also mean: to value (highly), to think highly of, to have a high opinion of, to appreciate, to recognize; to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.), to elicit (e.g. sneers), to invite (e.g. scorn), to evoke, to arouse, to win (someone's favour); to accept, to take on, to take up.
How do you pronounce 買う?
かう (kau). Pitch accent: heiban — flat. Press Listen above to hear it.
What JLPT level is 買う?
JLPT N3 — intermediate. See the JLPT N3 guide.
How do I remember 買う?
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