The word “brung” is a nonstandard past tense and past participle form of the verb “bring.” It is primarily used in certain dialects and informal speech, especially in some regions of the United States, but it is not recognized as standard English in major dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster or Oxford English Dictionary.
In standard English, the correct past tense and past participle of “bring” is “brought.” For example, “I brought the books yesterday” is correct, whereas “I brung the books yesterday” is considered nonstandard or colloquial. Despite this, “brung” has a long history of colloquial usage, especially in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), Southern American English, and other regional dialects. It has been used in literature, music, and everyday speech, contributing to its recognition as a genuine dialectal form rather than a simple mistake.
The origin of “brung” traces back to older forms of English and regional pronunciation patterns. Historically, some dialects simplified the past tense of “bring” to “brung,” aligning with the pronunciation and grammatical structures of those speech communities. Over time, “brought” became the standard form in formal and written English, but “brung” persisted in spoken language, especially in dialectal contexts.
While “brung” is widely understood within communities that use it, it is generally considered informal, dialectal, or nonstandard in formal writing and speech. It is often used to convey regional identity or colloquial tone. For example, in Southern American English, you might hear, “He said he brung the tools,” which would be understood but is not suitable for formal contexts.
If you are aiming for proper, standard English, the correct and universally accepted form is “brought.” Therefore, in formal writing, speech, or situations where correctness is important, you should say, “brought” instead of “brung.” However, understanding “brung” as a dialectal variant can enrich your appreciation of regional linguistic diversity, and recognizing its usage can be useful when interpreting informal speech or cultural references.
In summary, “brung” is not included in major dictionaries as a standard word, but it is a genuine, recognized dialectal form used in informal speech. Its proper, standard equivalent is “brought.” Whether to use “brung” or “brought” depends on context: use “brought” in formal settings, and “brung” when capturing regional speech or informal tone.