English irregular verbs

English contains dozens of irregular verbs that you just need to memorize. However, there are some links between them that can be used in learning.

Irregular verbs can also be found in other languages, German (DE), Spanish (ES) and others. However, we will not focus on that here.

Irregular English verbs - their usage

Each verb (regular or irregular) has three basic forms. They are:

Infinitive
Past simple
Past participle

For common English verbs, it is sufficient to add the ending -ed to the verb in all past tenses. It is the same in the past tense and the past participle.

If, on the other hand, we look at irregular English verbs, the endings are formed differently. It is therefore necessary to learn them by heart.

Identical but still different

Some irregular verbs in English have the same orthographic form in the infinitive and two past variants. For example, the irregular verb READ / READ / READ . All three forms of this verb are the same. But beware, the pronunciation of this verb in the infinitive differs from that of the past and past participle: [ri: d] / [red] / [red] .

Infinitiv	Past simple	Past participle
abide	abided / abode *	abided / abidden *
alight	alighted / alit	alighted / alit
arise	arose	arisen
awake	awoke / awaked *	awoken / awaked *
be / am / is /are	was/were	been
bear	bore / bare *	borne / born
beat	beat	beaten / beat
become	became	become
begin	began	begun
behold	beheld	beheld / beholden *
bend	bent / bended *	bent / bended *
bet	bet / betted	bet / betted
bid	bade / bid	bid
bind	bound	bound / bounden *
bite	bit	bitten / bit *
bleed	bled	bled
blow	blew	blown
break	broke / brake *	broken / broke *
breed	bred	bred
bring	brought / brang * / brung *	brought / brung / broughten
broadcast	broadcast	broadcast
build	built	built
burn	burned / burnt	burned / burnt
burst	burst / brast *	burst / bursten *
buy	bought	bought / boughten *
cast	cast	cast
catch	caught / catched *	caught / catched *
cling	clung / clang *	clung
clothe	clothed / clad	clothed / clad
come	came	come / comen *
cost	cost / costed	cost / costed
creep	crept / creeped / crope *	crept / creeped / cropen *
cut	cut	cut
deal	dealt	dealt
dig	dug / digged *	dug / digged *
dive	dived / dove	dived / dove
do / does	did	done
draw	drew	drawn
dream	dreamed / dreamt / drempt *	dreamed / dreamt / drempt *
drink	drank / drunk * / drinked *	drank / drunk * / drinked * / drunken *
drive	drove / drave *	driven
dwell	dwelled / dwelt	dwelled / dwelt
eat	ate	eaten
fall	fell / felled *	fallen / felled *
feed	fed	fed
feel	felt	felt
fight	fought	fought / foughten *
find	found / fand *	found / founden *
fit	fitted / fit	fitted / fit
flee	fled	fled
fling	flung / flang *	flung
fly	flew	flown
forbid	forbade / forbad / forbade	forbidden
forecast	forecast	forecast
foresee	foresaw	foreseen
foretell	foretold / foretelled *	foretold / foretelled *
forget	forgot / forgat *	forgotten / forgot*
forgive	forgave	forgiven
forsake	forsook	forsaken
freeze	froze	frozen
get	got / gat *	got / gotten
give	gave	given
go	went	gone
grind	ground / grinded	ground / grinded / grounden *
grow	grew / growed *	grew / growed *
hang	hung / hanged	hung / hanged
have / has	had	had
hear	heard	heard
hide	hid	hidden / hid *
hit	hit	hit
hold	held	held / holden *
hurt	hurt	hurt
choose	chose	chosen
inlay	inlaid / inlayed *	inlaid / inlayed *
input	input	input / inputten
keep	kept	kept
kneel	kneeled / knelt	kneeled / knelt
knit	knitted / knit	knitted / knit
know	knew	known / knowen *
lay	laid /layed *	laid /layed *
lead	led	led
lean	leaned / leant	leaned / leant
leap	leaped / leapt / lept / lope	leaped / leapt / lopen *
learn	learned / learnt	learned / learnt
leave	left	left / laft *
lend	lent	lent
let	let / leet *	let / letten *
lie	lay	lain / lien *
light	lighted / lit	lighted / lit
lose	lost	lost
make	made	made
mean	meant	meant
meet	met	met
mislead	misled	misled
mistake	mistook / mistaked *	mistaken
misunderstand	misunderstood	misunderstood / misunderstanden **
overdraw	overdrew	overdrawn
overhear	overheard	overheard
overtake	overtook / overtaked *	overtaken
pay	paid / payed *	paid / payed *
prove	proved	proved / proven
put	put	put / putten *
quit	quit / quitted	quit / quitted
read	read	read / readen *
reprove	reproved	reproved / reproven
rid	ridded / rid	ridded / rid
ride	rode / rid *	ridden / rid *
ring	rang / rung *	rung
rise	rose	risen
run	ran	run
say	said	said
see	saw	seen
seek	sought	sought
sell	sold	sold
send	sent	sent
set	set	set / setten *
sew	sewed	sewn / sewed / sewen *
shake	shook / shaked *	shaken / shaked / shook
shear	sheared / shore	sheared / shorn
shed	shed	shed
shine	shone / shined	shone / shined
shoe	shoed / shod	shodden / shoed / shod
shoot	shot	shot / shotten *
show	showed / shew *	shown / showed / shewed *
shrink	shrank / shrunk	shrunk / shrunken
shut	shut	shut
sing	sang / sung *	sung / sungen *
sink	sank / sunk	sunk / sunken
sit	sat / sate *	sat / sitten *
slay	slew / slayed	slain / slayed
sleep	slept	slept
slide	slid	slid / slidden *
sling	slung / slang *	slung
slink	slunk / slinked / slank	slunk / slinked / slank
slit	slit	slit / slitten
smell	smelled / smelt	smelled / smelt
sneak	sneaked / snuck	sneaked / snuck / snucked *
sow	sowed / sew *	sowed / sown
speak	spoke / spake *	spoken / spoke *
speed	speedded / speed	speedded / speed
spell	spelled / spelt	spelled / spelt
spend	spent	spent
spill	spilled / spilt	spilled / spilt
spin	spun / span *	spun
spit	spit / spat	spit / spat
split	split	split
spoil	spoiled / spoilt	spoiled / spoilt
spread	spread / spreaded *	spread / spreaded *
spring	sprang / sprung	sprung / sprang
stand	stood	stood / standen *
steal	stole	stolen
stick	stuck / sticked *	stuck / sticked *
sting	stung / stang *	stung
stink	stank / stunk *	stunk
stride	strode / strided *	stridden / strode / strid / stridded *
strike	struck	struck / stricken
strip	stripped / stript	stripped / stript
strive	strove / strived	striven / strived
swear	swore	sworn
sweat	sweated / sweat	sweated / sweat
sweep	swept / sweeped *	swept / sweeped *
swell	swelled / swole * / swelt *	swelled / swollen
swim	swam / swum *	swum
swing	swung / swang	swung / swungen *
take	took / taked *	taken
teach	taught / teached *	taught / teached *
tear	tore	torn
tell	told / talled *	told / talled *
think	thought / thinked *	thought / thinked *
thrive	thrived / throve / thrave *	thrived / throve
throw	threw / throwed *	threw / throwed *
thrust	thrust / thrusted *	thrust / thrusted *
tread	trod / tread * / treaded * / trodden *	trodden / trod / tread * / treaded *
undergo	underwent	undergone
understand	understood	understood / understanden *
undertake	undertook / undertaked *	undertaken
upset	upset	upset / upsetten *
vex	vexed / vext *	vexed / vext *
wake	woke / waked *	woken / waked *
wear	wore / weared	worn / weared
weave	wove	woven
wed	wedded / wed	wedded / wed
weep	wept / weeped	wept / weeped
win	won	won
wind	wound	wound
withdraw	withdrew	withdrawn
withhold	withheld	withheld / withholden *
withstand	withstood	withstood / withstanden *
wring	wrang / wrung / wringed *	wrung / wringed *
write	wrote / writ *	written / writ *
befall	befell / befelled *	befallen / befelled *
beget	begot / begat *	begot / begotten
beseech	beseeched / besought *	beseeched / besought *
beset	beset	beset / besetten *
bid	bade	bid
bless	blessed / blest *	blessed / blest *
bust	busted / bust *	busted / bust *
can	could	xxx
clap	clapped / clapt *	clapped / clapt *
cleave	cleaved / cleft / clove / clave *	cleaved / cleft / clove
crow	crowed / crew	crowed / crown *
heave	heaved / hove *	heaved / hove * / hoven *
hew	hewed / hew *	hewed / hewn
mow	mowed	mowed / mown
overcome	overcame	overcome / overcomen *
overthrow	overthrew / overthrowed *	overthrew / overthrowed *
partake	partook / partaked *	partaken
plead	pleaded / pled	pleaded / pled
rebuild	rebuilt	rebuilt
retell	retold / retelled *	retold / retelled *
shred	shredded / shred	shredded / shred
strew	strewed	strewed / strewn
sublet	sublet / subleet *	sublet / subletten *
uphold	upheld	upheld / upholden *
bequeath	bequeathed / bequethed / bequoth / bequod	bequeathed / bequethed / bequoth / bequod
betake	betook / betaked *	betaken
chide	chided / chid / chode *	chided / chid / chidden
forbear	forbore / forbare *	forborne / forborn *
gird	girded / girt *	girded / girt *
interweave	interwove	interwoven
misspend	misspent	misspent
offset	offset	offset / offsetten *
outwear	outweared / outwore	outweared / outworn
overdo / overdoes	overdid	overdone
overeat	overate / overet *	overeaten
oversee	oversaw	overseen
oversleep	overslept	overslept
overwrite	overwrote / overwrit	overwritten / overwrit
rend	rent	rent
repay	repaid / repayed *	repaid / repayed *
rewrite	rewrote / rewrit	rewritten / rewrit
underpay	underpaid / underpayed *	underpaid / underpayed *
underwrite	underwrote / underwrit	underwrote / underwrit
undo / undoes	undid	undone
unwind	unwound	unwound
writhe	writhed / wrothe *	writhed / writhen *
overbear	overbore / overbare *	overborne / overborn
browbeat	browbeat	browbeaten / browbeat
unbend	unbent / unbended *	unbent / unbended *
outbid	outbid	outbid
overbid	overbid	overbid
underbid	underbid	underbid
unbind	unbound	unbound / unbounden *
interbreed	interbred	interbred
overbuild	overbuilt	overbuilt
recast	recast	recast
unclothe	unclad / unclothed	unclad / unclothed
crosscut	crosscut	crosscut
undercut	undercut	undercut
misdeal	misdealt	misdealt
misdo / misdoes	misdid	misdone
outdo / outdoes	outdid	outdone
redo / redoes	redid	redone
redraw	redrew	redrawn
test-drive	test-drove / test-drave *	test-driven
fret	fretted / frate	fretted / fretten
bottle-feed	bottle-fed	bottle-fed
force-feed	force-feed	force-feed
hand-feed	hand-feed	hand-feed
overfeed	overfeed	overfeed
self-feed	self-feed	self-feed
spoon-feed	spoon-feed	spoon-feed
underfeed	underfeed	underfeed
overfly	overflew	overflown
test-fly	test-flew	test-flown
quick-freeze	quick-froze	quick-frozen
unfreeze	unfroze	unfrozen
undergird	undergirded / undergirt *	undergirded / undergirt *
glide	glided / glid / glode *	glided / glid / glidden *
forego	forewent	foregone
forgo	forwent	forgone
outgrow	outgrew / outgrowed *	outgrew / outgrowed *
overgrow	overgrew / overgrowed *	overgrew / overgrowed *
mishear	misheard	misheard
upheave	upheaved / uphove *	upheaved / uphove * / uphoven *
help	helped / holp *	helped / holpen *
hoist	hoisted/hoist	hoisted/hoist
hand-knit	hand-knit / hand-knitted	hand-knit / hand-knitted
foreknow	foreknew	foreknown / foreknowen *
lade	laded	laden / laded
laugh	laughed / laught * / laugh'd * / low *	laughed / laught / laugh'd / laughen *
belay	belaid / belayed *	belaid / belayed *
mislay	mislaid / mislayed *	mislaid / mislayed *
re-lay	re-laid / re-layed *	re-laid / re-layed *
waylay	waylaid / waylayed *	waylaid / waylayed *
overleap	overleaped / overleapt / overlept * / overlope *	overleaped / overleapt / overlopen *
relearn	relearned / relearnt	relearned / relearnt
unlearn	unlearned / unlearnt	unlearned / unlearnt
overlie	overlay	overlain / overlien *
underlie	underlay	underlain / underlien *
green-light	green-lighted / green-lit	green-lighted / green-lit
relight	relighted / relit	relighted / relit
unmake	unmade	unmade
melt	melted / molt *	melted / molten
mix	mixed / mixt *	mixed / mixt *
must	xxx	xxx
overpay	overpaid / overpayed *	overpaid / overpayed *
prepay	prepaid / prepayed *	prepaid / prepayed *
queath / quethe	queathed / quethed / quoth / quod	queathed / quethed / quoth / quethen
reach	reached / raught * / rought / retcht *	reached / raught * / rought / retcht *
misread	misread	misread / misreaden *
reread	reread	reread / rereaden *
sight-read	sight-read	sight-read / sight-readen *
reave **	reaved/reft	reaved/reft
outride	outrode / outrid *	outridden / outrid *
override	overrode / overrid *	overridden / overrid *
uprise	uprose	uprisen
rive	rived / rove	rived / riven
outrun	outran	outrun
overrun	overran	overrun
seethe	seethed / sod *	seethed / sodden *
outsell	outsold	outsold
resell	resold	resold
undersell	undersold	undersold
resend	resent	resent
inset	inset	inset / insetten
reset	reset	reset / resetten *
misshape	misshaped / misshope *	misshaped / misshapen *
outshine	outshone / outshined	outshone / outshined
shit	shit / shitted / shat	shit / shitted / shat / shitten *
overshoot	overshot	overshot / overshotten *
undershoot	undershot	undershot / undershotten *
foreshow	foreshowed / foreshew *	foreshown / foreshowed / foreshewed *
backslide	backslid	backslid / backslidden *
slip	slipped / slipt *	slipped / slipt *
smite	smote / smit *	smitten / smitted
bespeak	bespoke / bespake *	bespoken / bespoke *
overspend	overspent	overspent
overspread	overspread	overspread
stay	stayed / staid *	stayed / staid *
bestrew	bestrewed	bestrewn / bestrewed
bestride	bestrode / bestrided *	bestridden / bestrode * / bestrid * / bestridded *
hamstring	hamstrung / hamstringed *	hamstrung / hamstringed *
forswear	forswore	forsworn
retread	retrod / retread * / retreaded * / retrodden *	retrodden / retrod / retread * / retreaded *
wax	waxed / wex *	waxed / waxen *
wend	wended / went *	wended / went *
work	worked / wrought *	worked / wrought *
wreak	wreaked / wrought * / wrack * / wroke *	wreaked / wrought * / wreaken * / wroken *
ache / ake *	ached / oke *	ached / aken *
bake	baked / book *	baked / baken *
beware	xxx	xxx
blend	blended / blent *	blended / blent *
climb	climbed / clomb *	climbed / clumb *
comb	combed	combed / kempt
dare	dared / durst *	dared
ding	dinged / dang *	dinged / dung *
drag	dragged / drug *	dragged / drug *
dress	dressed / drest *	dressed / drest *
earn	earned / earnt *	earned / earnt *