‘Bye’ vs ‘Bi’ vs ‘By’ vs ‘Buy’: What’s the Difference Between Them?

The English language is filled with words that sound the same, including ‘bye,’ ‘bi,’ ‘by,’ and ‘bye.’ But what do each of these words mean? In this article, we’ll go over what each word means and what the difference is between them.

Need a short answer?

Here it is:

• ‘Bye’ is a shortened version of the phrase ‘good-bye.’ It’s a noun and an interjection.
• ‘Bi’ could be a noun or adjective that describes someone's sexual orientation as bisexual. It’s also a prefix that means two or twice.
• ‘By’ is a preposition that means near, past, toward, via, or according to.
• ‘Buy’ is a verb and a noun, and it could refer to the act of purchasing something, such as a product or service. It could also refer to the thing you purchased itself, especially if it was a bargain.

All four of these words sound the same when you say them out loud, but they have different meanings. That means you shouldn’t use them interchangeably, or you could alter the meaning of what you’re trying to say.

The Correct Way to Use ‘Bi,’ ‘By,’ ‘Buy,’ and ‘Buy’

As you just learned, these four words all sound the same but mean different things, which means they’re homophones.

So, how do you tell the difference between them all?

Bye

• If you’re leaving and want to say goodbye to someone, use ‘bye.’
• Use 'bye' when you're leaving, and you want to wish someone farewell.

At the end of Toy Story 2, Barbie says to the camera and audience:

'Okay, bye-bye, now. Bye-bye. Bye.'

Bi

Use ‘bi’ when:

• You’re talking about sexual orientation, or you’re looking for the prefix that means ‘two’ or ‘twice.’

For example, you might hear someone say:

            My sister just came out to me as bisexual, and I don’t know what to say.

In Grey’s Anatomy, Callie Torres is a bisexual woman who dates and marries George O’Malley and later dates and marries Arizona Robbins.

In Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, Yael Stone plays Lorna Morello, a bisexual woman who constantly talks about her male fiancé (who’s waiting for her to be released from prison), all the while sleeping with one of the prison’s most notorious lesbians, Nicky Nichols (Natasha Lyonne).

Or you might hear someone say:

'Our bi-weekly meeting is canceled this week.'

In the movie Bicentennial Man, Robin Williams plays an android robot (Andrew) who wants to become human and starts gaining feelings.

Some might say that Andrew is two things – a robot and a man. Hence, the name of the movie.

Buy

Use 'buy' when:

• You're talking about purchasing something (or exchanging something of value for something else of equal value).

In Legally Blonde, Elle Woods has to 'buy' a new laptop for school. She chooses a bright orange MacBook that makes her stick out like a sore thumb at Harvard Law School, among other things.

By

• You're talking about the position of something in relation to something else.

• In your town, the movie theater might be by (or near) the bank.
• Or the bank might be by the supermarket.

‘Bi’ vs. ‘Buy’ vs. ‘By’ vs. ‘Bye’ – Confusing Words

To tell the difference between these confusing words, remember:

• ‘Bi’ means two. And there are two letters in the prefix.
• ‘Buy’ is the second half of Best Buy. And you buy what you need at Best Buy.
• ‘Bye’ is short for ‘goodbye.’ If you can memorize the phrase, you should be able to remember which ‘bye’ to use.
• ‘By’ is the only remaining one. So, by process of elimination, you should be able to determine that ‘by’ means near, past, toward, via, or according to.

Definition of ‘Bye’: What Does ‘Bye’ Mean?

The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘bye’ is:

• The position of a participant in a tournament who advances to the next round without playing.

It could also mean:

• Used as a shortened form of goodbye to express farewell

Definition of ‘Bi’: What Does ‘Bi’ Mean?

The same dictionary defines ‘bi’ as:

• Bisexual.

It could also mean:

• Two
• Coming or occurring every two
• Into two parts
• Twice (doubly – on both sides)
• Coming or occurring two times
• Between, involving, or affecting two (specified) symmetrical parts

Definition of ‘By’: What Does ‘By’ Mean?

The definition of ‘by’ is:

• In proximity to (near).

It might also mean:

• Into the vicinity of and beyond (past)
• Through or through the medium of (via)
• In the direction of (toward)
• During the course of
• Not later than
• Through the agency or instrumentality of
• Born or begot of
• Sired or born by
• With the witness or sanction of
• In conformity with
• According to
• Used as a function word in multiplication, division, and in measurements
• With respect to
• On behalf of
• In or on to the amount or extent of
• Beside
• Used as a function word to indicate successive units or increments
• In the opinion of (from the point of view of)
• Past
• At or to another’s home
• Aside, away
• Something of secondary importance (a side issue)
• Being off the main route (side)
• Incidental

Definition of ‘Buy’: What Does ‘Buy’ Mean?

Merriam-Webster defines ‘buy’ as:

• Acquiring possession, ownership, or rights to the use or services by payment, especially of money (purchase).

It could also mean:

• To obtain in exchange for something, often at a sacrifice
• Redeem (Christianity)
• Bribe or hire
• To be the purchasing equivalent of
• Accept or believe
• Something of value at a favorable price (especially a bargain)
• An act of acquiring possession, ownership, or rights to the use or services of something by payment, especially of money (an act of buying)

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘Bye,’ ‘Bi,’ ‘By,’ and ‘Buy’

Are you unsure of how to pronounce these words?

Here’s a short guide.

To pronounce ‘bye,’ ‘bi,’ ‘by,’ and ‘buy,’ here’s the phonetic spelling:

BY

How to Use ‘Bye,’ ‘Bi,’ ‘By,’ and ‘Buy’ in a Sentence

Now that you know what all these words mean and how to pronounce them, let’s see some examples of how to use them all in a sentence.

Bye

• I have to say bye to Lisa before she leaves. I can’t believe she got a better position with another company. I’m going to miss
• I hate saying goodbye to TV shows I love, especially when they’ve been on for over a decade. I’m going to be so sad when Grey’s Anatomy goes off the air.
• We don’t normally do mushy goodbyes, but this time, we weren’t going to see each other for a few weeks. So, me and my brother hugged and told each other and said, ‘I love you.’
• I can’t believe we have to say goodbye this early. It’s so unfair that we can’t spend more time together. Will you call me later?

Bi

• Mrs. Jacobs suggested a bi-weekly newsletter for our classroom to let the parents know what goes on in the kindergarten.
• I recently discovered that I’m bi-sexual after I found a woman attractive at my local bar. It was a strange feeling, but I’m pretty sure I like both women and men.
• The PTA has bi-monthly meetings at the school every month. I try to attend when I can, but I’m usually busy doing other things. I also work pretty late at night, so it’s hard to go as often as I’d like.
• I send my company email bi-weekly. I try not to bombard my customers with emails too often because they might unsubscribe, and I’ll lose potential sales.

By

• By the way, I’m moving house next month. I found a place that’s not too expensive, so I figured I’d better take it. I hope you find another roommate soon.
• We have to get to Arizona by morning. I don’t want to drive in the dark. So, let’s leave two hours early. The early bird gets the worm, after all.
• Remember that Roy Rogers that used to be right by McDonald’s on Main Street? It’s been gone for most of my life, but I still remember how my city used to look.
• I have to run errands. I have to stop by the bank, pick up clothes from the cleaners, pick up some groceries, and get the car washed.

Buy

• Are you really going to buy that Tesla? Are you sure you can afford something like that right now? Didn’t you just get a divorce and lose half your household income?
• I need to buy a new charger for my phone and tablet. Let’s go to Best Buy. I was going to order it on Amazon. But, on second thought, I don’t feel like waiting for it.
• How many books are you going to buy? It seems like you have a whole library full of them. When will enough be enough for you?
• I’ve been trying to find the right car to buy. I’ve test driven a Mercedes, a BMW, and a Cadillac. I’m still undecided, though. I have a hard time making decisions.

Final Advice on ‘Bye,’ ‘Bi,’ ‘By,’ and ‘Buy’

To recap, we learned the following:

• ‘Bye’ is a shortened version of the phrase ‘good-bye.’ It’s a noun and an interjection.
• ‘Bi’ could be a noun or adjective that describes someone's sexual orientation as bisexual. It’s also a prefix that means two or twice.
• ‘By’ is a preposition that means near, past, toward, via, or according to.
• ‘Buy’ is a verb and a noun, and it could refer to the act of purchasing something, such as a product or service. It could also refer to the thing you purchased itself, especially if it were a bargain.

All four of these words sound the same when you say them out loud, but they have different meanings. That means you shouldn’t use them interchangeably, or you could alter the meaning of what you’re trying to say.

If you ever forget the meaning or how to use any of these words, you can always come back here to review this page. We’ve also got a ton of other content on confusing words and phrases you might want to check out as you’re learning the language. It’s there when you need it.