"buy" vs "purchase"

[Nessie]

Hi,
Is there any difference between "buy" and "purchase"?
Is the latter more formal?

Many thanks
Nessie
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Yankee]

.
Generally speaking, yes, 'purchase' is a little more formal than 'buy'. In addition, those two words have some usages/meanings that are not shared. For example, you can use the verb 'buy' to mean 'believe':

- "I don't buy that. What you're saying can't possibly be true!"
.

[Molly]

The registers that purchase appears in according to the BNC:

SPOKEN 15.7
FICTION 8.9
NEWSPAPER 30.0
ACADEMIC 47.6
MISC 69.3
------

The registers that buy appears in according to the BNC:

SPOKEN 272.8
FICTION 97.6
NEWSPAPER 162.8
ACADEMIC 34.6
MISC 129.8

It's hard to tell how many of the "buy" examples match Amy's example above.

[Yankee]

.
That the word 'buy' is more frequently used is not surprising.

Did your BNC search for the word 'buy' include usages such as 'buy the farm', 'buy it', 'buy an ace', and 'be a real buy', for example?
.

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

'Buy' is the run of the mill word that is used to describe getting something by paying for it and taking it home. It will crop up in this sort of conversation:

A We went shopping today and shopped until we dropped.
B Did you buy anything interesting?
A I'll show you what I bought.

'Purchase' is if you like the more serious word and leans towards a business sense. Invariably when you have bought something in a store, which you are pleased with and you want to tell the store how wonderful it is, you would say/write: I bought *** in your store last week and I am delighted with it.
On the other hand in a letter of complaint, you would likewise invariably write: I purchased *** in your store last week and I am very disappointed with the item.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story In touch

[Molly]

It may be useful to look at some of the most common BrEng collocations of the two words:

PURCHASE PRICE

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

PURCHASE ORDER

PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR

PURCHASE GOODS

PURCHASE MONEY

PURCHASE SCHEMES

PURCHASE SHARES

PURCHASE DECISIONS

PURCHASE AGREEMENTS

PURCHASE TAX

PURCHASE DECISION

PURCHASE ORDERS

PURCHASE GRANT

PURCHASE LAND

PURCHASE TERMS

PURCHASE CONTRACT

PURCHASE CONTRACTS

PURCHASE NOTICE

PURCHASE LEDGER

PURCHASE POWERS

PURCHASE CONSIDERATION

PURCHASE COST

PURCHASE MOTIVATION

PURCHASE SCHEME

PURCHASE SERVICES

PURCHASE ARMS

PURCHASE FUND

PURCHASE GRANTS

PURCHASE MONIES

-----------

BUY SHARES

BUY FOOD

BUY THINGS

BUY GOODS

BUY TIME

BUY TICKETS

BUY LAND

BUY EQUIPMENT

BUY CLOTHES

BUY BOOKS

BUY PROPERTY

BUY PRODUCTS

BUY HOUSES

BUY PLAYERS

BUY DECISION

BUY DRINKS

BUY PRESENTS

BUY STUFF

BUY UNITS

BUY SERVICES

BUY BREAD

BUY BILLS

BUY DRUGS

BUY FISH

BUY STOCK

BUY COMPUTER

BUY CONDOMS

BUY HOMES

BUY RECORDS

BUY CIGARETTES

[Molly]

[Nessie]

Thank you very much dear Grandpa, Amy and Auntie Molly

I've totally understood Grandpa's explaination about the difference between "buy" and "purchase". And dear Amy, I know there are some usages that they don't share. (mainly in collocations and idioms, I guess) So if possible, I hope you will tell me some.

Many thanks in advance
Nessie
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

I thought you were joking when you suggested calling me 'grandpa'. People will start jumping to conclusions, you know!

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Are you a Persuader?

[Nessie]

Hi Grandpa

What makes you think I was joking when I suggested calling you "Grandpa"? Actually I am quite serious. I'd love to call you that way as well as calling Amy "Auntie Amy" (Unfortunately she doesn't like that so...) It's just like a way of showing affection (which is quite common to Oriental culture, you know )
And what do you mean by "People will start jumping to conclusions"? Truly speaking, I don't care about whatever conclusions they jump to
But of course, if you really don't like me to address you that way, Grandpa, please simply tell me and I'll stop it
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...