買う
かう
to buy
Kau (買う) is a godan verb meaning "to buy". Its polite form is 買います (kaimasu), its te form is 買って (katte), its past form is 買った (katta), and its negative form is 買わない (kawanai).
Godan verbJLPT N5
Kau (買う) conjugation quick reference
買う means "to buy". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Kau example sentences
りんごを買います。
I will buy an apple.
パンを買いました。
I bought bread.
ジュースを買いません。
I won’t buy juice.
How to use Kau: grammar notes
•Use を (wo) after the item you are buying — for example, パンを買う means "buy bread."
•To say "buy at a place," use で (de) — like スーパーで買う means "buy at the supermarket."
•Don't use に (ni) after the item — saying パンに買う is incorrect; always use を for the thing you buy.
•JLPT N5 level
Common phrases with Kau
買い物をする(かいものをする)
to go shopping / to do shopping
〜を買いたいです(〜をかいたいです)
I want to buy ~
安いものを買う(やすいものをかう)
to buy something cheap
Kau (買う) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 買う | kau |
| Masu Form | 買います | kaimasu |
| Te Form | 買って | katte |
| Past Form | 買った | katta |
| Negative Form | 買わない | kawanai |
| Past Negative | 買わなかった | kawanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 買います | kaimasu |
| Polite Past | 買いました | kaimashita |
| Polite Negative | 買いません | kaimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 買いませんでした | kaimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 買える | kaeru |
| Passive Form | 買われる | kawareru |
| Causative Form | 買わせる | kawaseru |
| Causative Passive | 買わされる | kawasareru |
| Volitional Form | 買おう | kaou |
| Imperative Form | 買え | kae |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 買えば | kaeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 買ったら | kattara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 買っている | katteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 買いたい | kaitai |
| Prohibition | 買うな | kauna |