Brought vs. Bought: What's the Difference?
Learn why brought is the past tense of bring and bought is the past tense of buy, with clear sentence tests, examples, a quiz, and FAQs.
Brought is the past tense and past participle of bring, meaning carried or caused to come. Bought is the past tense and past participle of buy, meaning purchased. You bring something here and buy something with money or another form of payment.
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A meeting note says Maya “bought the signed contract to the office.” Unless she purchased the contract, the intended verb is brought: she carried it to the meeting place.
Brought vs. Bought at a glance
| Word | Typical role | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| brought | Past tense and past participle of bring | carried, accompanied, caused to come, or produced | The analyst brought printed copies for everyone. |
| bought | Past tense and past participle of buy | purchased or accepted as true | The studio bought a new microphone for the podcast. |
How to use brought
Brought describes movement toward a person or place, but it also has figurative uses. A campaign brought attention to an issue, a change brought relief, and experience brought a new perspective.
The analyst brought printed copies for everyone.
How to use bought
Bought normally describes obtaining something through payment. In informal figurative use, it can mean believed or accepted, as in “I never bought that explanation.”
The studio bought a new microphone for the podcast.
Rules that make the choice easier
Connect brought with bring
If the present-tense sentence uses bring, the past form is brought: bring it today, brought it yesterday.
Connect bought with buy
If purchase is a sensible replacement, use bought: buy a ticket today, bought a ticket yesterday.
Look beyond physical objects
Results can be brought about, ideas can be brought up, and explanations can be bought. Identify the underlying verb rather than relying only on the noun nearby.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Incorrect: I bought my laptop to class. Correct: I brought my laptop to class.
- Incorrect: She brought a ticket online. Correct: She bought a ticket online.
- Do not write brung or buyed in standard edited English; brought and bought are the irregular forms.
Quick practice
1. We ___ the equipment from a local supplier.
Answer: bought
2. He ___ the equipment into the conference room.
Answer: brought
3. The announcement ___ the discussion to an end.
Answer: brought
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between brought and bought?
Brought comes from bring and concerns carrying or causing; bought comes from buy and concerns purchasing.
Is it bought it with me or brought it with me?
Use brought it with me because the item was carried, not purchased in that phrase.
What is the past tense of bring?
The simple past and past participle of bring are both brought.
What is the past tense of buy?
The simple past and past participle of buy are both bought.