Pronunciation contrast
bought vs brought
Meaning, pronunciation, and examples
Bought is the past tense of buy. Brought is the past tense of bring. They share the same ending, but brought adds an R immediately after B.
American English
Hear the difference
Each term has female and male playback at natural speed. Listen without looking, then compare the recordings with the IPA.
Word 1
bought
verb, past tense and past participle
The past-tense and past-participle form of buy.
US pronunciation
/bɔt, bɑt/
UK IPA
/bɔːt/
Hear two natural voices
Word 2
brought
verb, past tense and past participle
The past-tense and past-participle form of bring.
US pronunciation
/brɔt/
UK IPA
/brɔːt/
Hear two natural voices
Sound contrast
Start with B or the BR cluster
For bought, release B directly into the vowel. For brought, keep the tongue ready for R as the lips release B, then move into the same vowel and final T. The vowel itself varies by accent, so listen for the added R rather than judging one vowel shape.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use bought when someone paid for or obtained something. Use brought when someone carried, moved, or caused something to come with them. Both words end with the same vowel and T sound in a given accent, so the opening B versus BR cluster carries the spoken contrast.
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
bought
- I bought the tickets online yesterday.
- She bought fresh fruit at the market.
- They had bought the house before prices rose.
Examples with
brought
- He brought his notes to the meeting.
- The rain brought cooler weather overnight.
- We had brought enough food for everyone.
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