Where <have you bought> <did you buy> it? (2025)

What would be used in this context:

"I like your new T-shirt! Where did you buy it?"
or "I like your new T-shirt. Where have you bought it?"

I am not sure about the tense in this situation - I can imagine the usage of the present perfect (because we speak about something we see now - the T-shirt, and it is not important when the purchase happened), but as well the past simple (we are referring to a completed action in the past).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sophia

In AE, we always use simple past for this: "Where did you buy it?"

The verb action ("you did buy") started and finished in the past, so present perfect is incorrect.

The other action ("I like it") happens now, so present makes sense there.

Loob said:

I can only think of situations involving repeated purchases in the past, as in:
A. I can't find any shops that sell my favourite perfume.
B. Where have you bought it in the past?

Click to expand...

And which of the followings would be the answer of the speaker A to the question:

1. I have bought it from the Macy's.

2. I have always bought it from the Macy's.

3. I have usually bought it from the Macy's.

I will also appreciate your suggestions regarding possible answers which sound more natural.

Would the following in bold be a natural reply of the speaker A?

A. I can't find any shops that sell my favourite perfume.
B. Where have you bought it in the past?
A. I have (always/usually) bought it from the Macy's.

Look at it this way. I bought the perfume at Macy's puts the action at a particular time (and place) in the past just as much as I bought the perfume on the first of October does. It similarly attracts the simple past tense, not the present perfect.

Similarly, if you ask where a particular past event, such as a purchase, happened, you need the simple past tense, not the present perfect. The present consequence (if there is one) is irrelevant.

In contrast, I have bought the perfume at Macy's has a almost express present consequence, such as Macy's may stock it.

se16teddy said:

Look at it this way. I bought the perfume at Macy's puts the action at a particular time (and place) in the past just as much as I bought the perfume on the first of October does. It similarly attracts the simple past tense, not the present perfect.

Similarly, if you ask where a particular past event, such as a purchase, happened, you need the simple past tense, not the present perfect. The present consequence (if there is one) is irrelevant.

Click to expand...

But the speaker A doesn't refer to a particular purchase carried out at a particular time. Doesn't alluding to a repeated action change the situation here?

orchard said:

But the speaker A doesn't refer to a particular purchase carried out at a particular time. Doesn't alluding to a repeated action change the situation here?

A. I can't find any shops that sell my favourite perfume.
B. Where have you bought it in the past?
A. I have (always/usually) bought it from the Macy's.​

Click to expand...

A does not sound natural. I'd say 'I know I've bought it in Macy's and Bloomingdale's, but honestly, I usually just picked it up wherever I saw it!'

orchard said:

But the speaker A doesn't refer to a particular purchase carried out at a particular time. Doesn't alluding to a repeated action change the situation here?

A. I can't find any shops that sell my favourite perfume.
B. Where have you bought it in the past?
A. I have (always/usually) bought it from the Macy's.​

Click to expand...

Yes. I was referring to a single purchase - sorry I didn’t make that clear.

se16teddy said:

I have bought the perfume at Macy's

Click to expand...

Is it possible to say: "I have bought that perfume at Macy's once", not referring to multiple purchases? Meaning there has been one occasion in the past when I have bought it at Macy's?

old woman said:

Is it possible to say: "I have bought that perfume at Macy's once", not referring to multiple purchases? Meaning there has been one occasion in the past when I have bought it at Macy's?

Click to expand...

It does not work if you feel the need to add "once", since this puts too much emphasis on a particular time in the past. The present perfect requires the emphasis to be in the present.

However, if you omit "once", then "I have bought that perfume at Macy's" does not indicate how often you bought it, and perhaps you did only buy it once. The important thing is not what you did in the past, but the effect in the present, which might be to say that Macy's probably still sell it.