comprar
Lemma Details
Translation: to buy; to purchase; to acquire
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'comparāre', meaning 'to pair together, match, bring together'. The Latin term evolved from 'com-' (together) + 'parāre' (to prepare, provide). The semantic shift from 'to prepare together' to 'to buy' occurred as the act of purchasing involves bringing together buyer and seller. English words like 'compare' share this Latin root, though they retained different semantic aspects of the original meaning.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Voy a comprar pan en la panadería.
I'm going to buy bread at the bakery.
¿Dónde compraste ese vestido?
Where did you buy that dress?
Compramos una casa nueva el año pasado.
We bought a new house last year.
No puedo comprar nada porque olvidé mi cartera.
I can't buy anything because I forgot my wallet.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'compare' in English - when you buy something, you often compare options first.
- Imagine a 'company' purchasing supplies - 'company' and 'comprar' share similar sounds.
- Picture a shopping 'cart' - 'comprar' starts with the same sound as 'cart'.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, bargaining is common in markets and small shops, so the act of 'comprar' often involves negotiation. Online shopping has become increasingly popular, with terms like 'comprar en línea' becoming part of everyday vocabulary.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'comprar' means 'to buy', 'comparar' means 'to compare'. They look and sound similar but have different meanings.
Confused word:
Voy a comparar diferentes modelos de coches.
I'm going to compare different car models.
Notes: The confusion stems from their similar spelling and pronunciation, as well as their etymological relationship - both come from Latin 'comparāre', but evolved to have different meanings in modern Spanish.
Mnemonic: 'Comprar' ends with 'ar' like 'market' - where you buy things. 'Comparar' has an extra 'ar' in the middle - you need extra time to compare things before buying.
Explanation: 'Comprar' means 'to buy' while 'compartir' means 'to share'. Both start with 'comp-' but have different meanings and conjugations.
Notes: Both verbs are regular -ar and -ir verbs respectively, following standard conjugation patterns.
Mnemonic: Think of 'compartir' as having 'part' in it - when you share, you give someone a part of something.