Chinese Verb "买" (mǎi)

to buy

Action verb

Basic Usage

Basic

Subject + 买 + object

我买了一本书。

Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū.

I bought a book.

Completed Action (了 (le))

Completed with 了

Subject + 买 + 了 + object

她买了很多衣服。

Tā mǎi le hěn duō yīfu.

She bought a lot of clothes.

Experience (过 (guò))

Experience with 过

Subject + 买 + 过 + object

我买过这个牌子。

Wǒ mǎi guò zhège páizi.

I have bought this brand before.

Ongoing Action (在/着)

In progress

Subject + 在 + 买 + object

他在买菜。

Tā zài mǎi cài.

He is buying groceries.

Future / Intent (会/要/想)

Future with 要

Subject + 要 + 买 + object

我要买一辆新车。

Wǒ yào mǎi yí liàng xīn chē.

I want to buy a new car.

Negation (不/没)

Negative with 不

Subject + 不买 + object

太贵了，我不买。

Tài guì le, wǒ bù mǎi.

It's too expensive, I won't buy it.

Negative past

Subject + 没买 + object

我没买到票。

Wǒ méi mǎi dào piào.

I didn't manage to buy tickets.

Common Compounds & Related Words

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
买东西	mǎi dōngxi	to go shopping
买单	mǎidān	to pay the bill
买卖	mǎimài	business / trade

Example Sentences

你想买什么？

Nǐ xiǎng mǎi shénme?

What do you want to buy?

这个多少钱？我要买。

Zhège duōshǎo qián? Wǒ yào mǎi.

How much is this? I want to buy it.

在哪儿能买到？

Zài nǎr néng mǎi dào?

Where can I buy it?