The preterite of comprar is used to express when someone bought something at a specific moment in the past. For example, when you want to say “I bought a new car last week” – “Compré un carro nuevo la semana pasada.”
This is a regular -ar verb in the preterite tense. It follows the standard -ar conjugation pattern without any stem changes or spelling adjustments.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Comprar (to buy) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | compré |
| Tú | compraste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | compró |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | compramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | comprasteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | compraron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Comprar (to buy) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Comprar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of comprar indicates completed purchases or acquisitions.
To buy/purchase: Used for completed transactions, for example Compré un carro nuevo (I bought a new car), or Compraron una casa el mes pasado (They bought a house last month).
To acquire/obtain: In broader contexts of obtaining things, for example Compré su silencio con un regalo (I bought their silence with a gift).
Examples
Examples of Comprar in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Compré un carro nuevo ayer. (I bought a new car yesterday.)
¿Dónde compraste ese vestido? (Where did you buy that dress?)
María compró regalos para todos. (Maria bought gifts for everyone.)
Compramos una casa en la playa. (We bought a beach house.)
Los estudiantes compraron sus libros. (The students bought their books.)
Compré comida para la semana. (I bought food for the week.)
¿Compraste los boletos del concierto? (Did you buy the concert tickets?)
Ella compró un regalo de cumpleaños. (She bought a birthday present.)
Compramos muebles nuevos. (We bought new furniture.)
Ellos compraron una computadora. (They bought a computer.)
Compré un billete de avión. (I bought a plane ticket.)
¿Por qué compraste tanto? (Why did you buy so much?)
Juan compró un teléfono nuevo. (Juan bought a new phone.)
Compramos recuerdos del viaje. (We bought souvenirs from the trip.)
Los niños compraron dulces. (The children bought candy.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Comprar (to buy) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo compré | I bought |
| Tú compraste | You bought |
| Él / Ella / Usted compró | He / She / You (formal) bought |
| Nosotros / Nosotras compramos | We bought |
| Vosotros / Vosotras comprasteis | You all bought |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes compraron | They / You all (formal) bought |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.