Brung
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "brung" is the nonstandard past tense of "bring." It’s a hallmark of regional dialect that shows up in everyday talk and in classic sayings like "Dance with the One That Brung You."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll hear 'brung' all day long out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll hear 'brung' all day long out in the country. Pronunciation
[BRUNG]
Meaning & Usage
- Past tense of "bring" (dialect verb form)
Mae:
Who brung the casserole?
Who brung the casserole?
Earl:
Betsy brung it - same as always.
Betsy brung it - same as always.variations: brought (standard form)
★ "Brung" is one of those words Southerners and Appalachians use naturally in speech but switch to "brought" when writing formally. It’s a living link to older English verb forms, not "bad grammar." ★
Origin and Etymology
"Brung" stems from older English patterns-similar to "sing/sang/sung" or "ring/rang/rung"-and held on in Southern and Appalachian dialects thanks to Scots-Irish influence and rural isolation. It’s been noted in dialect research since the early 1900s.
Usage Notes
Still common in rural Southern speech. Recognized nationwide but strongly associated with nonstandard, folksy talk.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "brung" - rhymes with "hung."
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 24). Brung. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/brung
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Brung." HillbillySlang.com, 24 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/brung.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Brung." HillbillySlang.com. September 24, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/brung.
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