This table lists irregular verbs in the English language. Each row shows an irregular verb (or group of compounds sharing a base verb), arranged alphabetically.
The table’s left-hand column shows verb forms (lemma and inflected): The citation form (the infinitive) comes first (linked to its Wiktionary article), from which a marker (dagger †) references a footnote if its present tense forms are irregular. Next is the preterite or simple past form, then finally the past participle. The right hand column notes whether the verb is weak or strong, whether it belongs to a subclass, and links to discussions elsewhere. Typical irregularities in weak verbs are the assimilation of dentals (bended → bent) and vowel reduction (*keeped → kept).
Many of these verbs are irregular in British or American English only. For some, such as spell (spelt vs. spelled), learn (learnt vs. learned), and spill (spilt vs. spilled), American English uses the regular form, while British English tends to favor the irregular. In other cases, the opposite is true (dived and sneaked in Britain, but also dove and snuck in the United States). Australian English tends to follow British practice, while Canadian English often sides with American usage. In this table, the preferred or more common usage is generally listed first, though for some words usage is nearly equal for both choices. Note that many of these forms vary even within each English variety depending on the dialect.
This table includes selected archaic forms (marked *).
verb forms | verb class and notes |
---|---|
be† was/were been | Suppletive. See Indo-European copula. |
bear bore/bare born/borne | Strong, class 4 |
beat beat beaten/beat
|
Strong, class 7 |
begin began begun | Strong, class 3 |
bend bent/bended bent/bended | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
beseech besought/beseeched besought/beseeched | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
bet bet/betted bet/betted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
bid (in cards, auctions, etc.) bid bid | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
bid (meaning to request or say) bade/bid/bidded bidden/bid/bidded
|
Strong, class 5 |
bide bided/bode bided/bidden
|
Strong, class 1 |
bind bound bound/*bounden | Strong, class 3 |
bite bit bitten | Strong, class 1 |
bleed bled bled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
bless blessed/blest blessed/blest | Weak irregular only in spelling |
blow blew blown
|
Strong, class 7 |
break broke broken | Strong, class 4 |
breed bred bred
|
Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
bring brought brought/*broughten | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
build built built | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
burn burned/burnt burnt/burned | Weak with devoicing of the ending, a former Strong, class 3 verb |
burst burst/bursted/*brast burst/bursted/*bursten | Weak with assimilation of dentals, a former Strong, class 3 verb |
bust bust/busted bust/busted | Weak with assimilation of dentals, a former Strong, class 3 verb |
buy bought bought/boughten | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
can (aux. only) could *couth | Preterite-present |
cast cast cast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
catch caught caught | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law - a French loanword conjugated perhaps by analogy with teach-taught |
chide chid/chidded/chode chid/chidded/chidden | Strong, class 1 |
choose chose chosen
|
Strong, class 2 |
cleave (split apart) clove cloven/cleft | Strong, class 2 |
cleave (cling to) cleft/cleaved cleft/cleaved | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
*clepe cleped/clept cleped/clept/yclept | Weak with vowel reduction |
cling clung clung | Strong, class 3 |
clothe clothed/clad clothed/clad
|
Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
come came come | Strong, class 4 |
cost cost cost | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
creep crept/creeped crept/creeped/*cropen | Weak with vowel reduction, a former Strong, class 2 verb |
crow crew/crowed crowed/*crown | Strong, class 7. |
cut cut cut | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
dare dared/*durst dared/*durst | Preterite-present |
deal dealt dealt
|
Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
dig dug dug
|
Strong, class 3, a former Weak verb |
dive dived/dove dived | Weak with the past tense possibly inspired by the Class 1 strong verb drive. |
do† did done | Reduplication with past participle springing from OE "gedon" |
drag drug/dragged drug/dragged | Strong, class 6 |
draw drew drawn | Strong, class 6 |
dream dreamed/dreamt dreamed/dreamt | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
dress dressed/*drest dressed/drest
|
Weak irregular only in spelling |
drink drank/drunk drank/drunk/drunken
|
Strong, class 3 |
drive drove/*drave driven
|
Strong, class 1 |
dwell dwelt/dwelled dwelt/dwelled | Weak with devoicing of the ending |
eat ate eaten
|
Strong, class 5 |
fall fell fallen
|
Strong, class 7 |
feed fed fed
|
Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
feel felt felt | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
fight fought fought/foughten | Strong, class 3 |
find found found/*founden | Strong, class 3 |
fit fit/fitted fit/fitted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
flee fled fled | Weak with vowel reduction, a former Strong, class 2 verb |
fling flung flung | Strong, class 3 |
fly flew flown
|
Strong, class 2 |
freeze froze/*frore frozen/*froren | Strong, class 2 |
get got gotten/got | Strong, class 4, a former Strong, class 5 verb |
gild gilt/gilded gilt/gilded | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
gird girt/girded girt/girded
|
Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
give gave given | Strong, class 5 |
gnaw gnawed/*gnew gnawed/*gnawn | Strong, class 7 |
go went gone | Suppletive. See: go (verb). |
grave grove/graved graven/graved | Strong, class 6 |
grind ground/grinded ground/*grounden | Strong, class 3 |
grow grew grown | Strong, class 7 |
hang hung/hanged hung/hanged | Strong, class 7 weak past tense and present influenced by OE causative "hangian" |
have† had had | Weak pret. and past participle spring from O.E. haefd |
hear heard heard | Weak with vowel reduction |
heave heaved/hove heaved/hove/hoven/heft | Strong, class 6 |
hew hew/hewed hewn/hewed
|
Strong, class 7 |
hide hid hid/hidden | Strong, class 1, a former Weak verb |
hit hit hit
|
Weak with assimilation of dentals |
hold held held/*holden | Strong, class 7 |
hurt hurt hurt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
keep kept kept
|
Weak with vowel reduction |
ken kenned/kent kenned/kent
|
Weak with devoicing of the ending |
kneel knelt/kneeled knelt/kneeled | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
knit knit/knitted knit/knitted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
know knew known | Strong, class 7 |
lade laded laden/laded | Strong, class 6 |
lay laid laid | Weak irregular only in spelling |
lead led led
|
Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
lean leaned(US)/leant(UK) leaned(US)/leant(UK) | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending in British English. |
leap leaped/leapt/*lope leaped/leapt/*lopen | Weak with vowel reduction, a former Strong, class 7 |
learn learned/learnt learned/learnt
|
Weak with devoicing of the ending |
leave left left
|
Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
lend lent lent
|
Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
let (allow) let/*leet let/letten | Strong, class 7 |
lie (but not talking untruthfully) lay lain | Strong, class 5 |
light lit/lighted lit/lighted
|
Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
lose lost lost | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
make made made
|
Weak contraction of "maked" |
may might | Preterite-present |
mean meant meant | Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
meet met met | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
melt melted/*molt melted/*molten | Strong, class 3 |
mow mowed mowed/mown | Strong, class 7 |
nim nam/nimmed nomen/nome/numb/nimmed
|
Strong, class 4 |
pay paid paid | Weak irregular only in spelling |
pen penned/*pent penned/*pent | Weak with devoicing of the ending |
plead pleaded/pled pleaded/pled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
prove proved proved/proven | Weak with naturally developing a strong participle, a borrowed French verb |
put put put | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
*queath or quethe quoth quoth/quethen
|
Strong, class 4 or Strong, class 5 |
quit quit quit | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
read read read | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals, a former Strong, class 7 verb |
*reave reft reft
|
Weak with vowel reduction and devoicing of the ending |
rend rent rent | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
rid rid/ridded rid/ridden/ridded | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
ride rode ridden
|
Strong, class 1 |
ring rang rung | Strong, class 3 |
rise rose risen
|
Strong, class 1 |
rive rived/rove rived/riven | Strong, class 1 |
run ran run | Strong, class 3 |
*sake sook saken
|
Strong, class 6 |
saw sawed sawed/sawn | Strong, class 6 |
say† said said | Weak with vowel reduction |
see saw seen | Strong, class 5 |
seek sought sought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
seethe seethed/*sod seethed/*sodden | Strong, class 2 |
sell sold sold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
send sent sent | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
set set set | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
sew sewed sewed/sewn
|
Weak with naturally developing a strong participle |
shake shook shaken
|
Strong, class 6 |
shall should (none) | Preterite-present; defective; see also Shall and will |
shape shaped/*shope shapen/shaped
|
Strong, class 6 |
shave shove/shaved shaven/shaved | Strong, class 6 |
shear shore/sheared shorn/sheared | Strong, class 4 |
shed shed/shedded shed/shedded | Weak with assimilation of dentals, a former Strong, class 7 verb |
shine shined/shone shined/shone | Strong, class 1 |
shit shit/shat/shitted shit/shat/shitted/shitten | Strong, class 1 or Strong, class 5 in analogy with sit. |
shite shit/shat shit/shat/shitten | Strong, class 1 or Strong, class 5 in analogy with sit. |
shoe shoed/shod shoed/shod/shodden | Weak with vowel reduction |
shoot shot shot/shotten
|
Strong, class 2 |
show showed/shew shown/showed | Weak with naturally developing a strong participle shown perhaps by analogy with sow, sown |
shrink shrank/shrunk shrunk/shrunken | Strong, class 3 |
shrive shrove shriven | Strong, class 1 |
shut shut shut | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
sing sang sung
|
Strong, class 3 |
sink sank/sunk sunk/sunken | Strong, class 3 |
sit sat sat
|
Strong, class 5 |
slay slew/slayed slain/slayed | Strong, class 6 |
sleep slept slept
|
Weak with vowel reduction, a former Strong, class 7 verb |
slide slid slid/slidden
|
Strong, class 1 |
sling slang/slung slung | Strong, class 3 |
slink slunk slunk | Strong, class 3 |
slip slipped/*slipt slipped/*slipt
|
Weak irregular only in spelling, a former Strong, class 1 verb |
slit slit slit/*slitten | Weak with assimilation of dentals, a former Strong, class 1 verb |
smell smelled/smelt smelled/smelt | Weak with devoicing of the ending |
smite smote/smit smitten | Strong, class 1 |
sneak sneaked/snuck sneaked/snuck | Strong, class 3, a former Weak verb |
sow sowed/sew sowed/sown | Strong, class 7 |
speak spoke/*spake spoken | Strong, class 4 |
speed sped/speeded sped/speeded | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
spell spelled/spelt spelled/spelt
|
Weak with devoicing of the ending |
spend spent spent | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
spill spilled/spilt spilled/spilt
|
Weak with devoicing of the ending |
spin span/spun spun | Strong, class 3 |
spit spit/spat spit/spat/spitten | Strong, class 1 or Strong, class 5 in analogy with sit. |
split split split | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
spoil spoiled/spoilt spoiled/spoilt | Weak with devoicing of the ending |
spread spread spread
|
Weak with assimilation of dentals |
spring sprang/sprung sprung | Strong, class 3 |
stand stood stood/*standen
|
Strong, class 6 |
stave staved/stove staved/stove | Strong, class 6, a former Weak verb |
stay stayed/staid stayed/staid | Weak irregular only in spelling |
steal stole stolen | Strong, class 4 |
stick stuck stuck | Strong, class 3, a former Weak verb |
sting stung/stang stung | Strong, class 3 |
stink stank/stunk stunk | Strong, class 3 |
strew strew/strewed strewn/strewed | Weak with naturally developing a strong participle |
stride strode/strided stridden/strided/strid
|
Strong, class 1 |
strike struck stricken/struck | Strong, class 1 |
string strang/strung strung
|
Strong, class 3, a former Weak verb |
strive strove/strived striven/strived | Strong, class 1, a former Weak verb |
*strow strow/strowed strown/strowed | Weak with naturally developing a strong participle, an archaic variant of strew |
swear swore sworn | Strong, class 4, a former Strong, class 6 verb |
sweat sweat/sweated sweat/sweated | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
sweep swept swept | Weak with vowel reduction |
swell swelled/swoll swelled/swollen | Strong, class 3 |
*swelt swolt/swelted swolten/swelted | Strong, class 3 |
swim swam swum | Strong, class 3 |
swing swang/swung swung/*swungen
|
Strong, class 3 |
take took taken | Strong, class 6 |
teach taught taught | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
tear tore torn | Strong, class 4 |
tell told told | Weak with Rückumlaut |
think thought thought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
thrive thrived/throve thrived/thriven | Strong, class 1, a former Weak verb |
throw threw thrown | Strong, class 7 |
thrust thrust/thrusted thrust/thrusted
|
Weak with assimilation of dentals |
tread trod trodden/trod
|
Strong, class 4 |
wake woke/waked woken/waked
|
Strong, class 6 |
wax waxed waxed/waxen | Strong, class 7 |
wear wore worn | Strong, class 4, a former Weak verb |
weave weaved/wove woven
|
Strong, class 4 |
wed wed/wedded wed/wedded | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
weep wept wept | Weak with vowel reduction, a former Strong, class 7 verb |
wend wended/went wended/went | Weak with assimilation of dentals and devoicing of the ending |
wet wet/wetted wet/wetted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
will would/willed willed | Irregular; see also Shall and will |
win won won | Strong, class 3 |
wind wound wound | Strong, class 3 |
work worked/*wrought worked/*wrought
|
Weak with Rückumlaut and metathesis of r and o |
*worth worth worth/worthen | Strong, class 3 |
wreak wreaked/wrought/*wroke wreaked/wreaken/*wroken/wrought | Strong, class 4 or Strong, class 5 |
wring wrang/wrung wrung | Strong, class 3 |
write wrote/*writ written
|
Strong, class 1 |
writhe writhed/*wrothe writhed/*writhen | Strong, class 1 |
†Though the list of verbs irregular in the preterite or perfect tenses is long, the list of irregular present tense verbs is very short. Excepting modal verbs like "shall", "will", and "can" that do not inflect at all in the present tense, there are only four, two of which are only irregular in pronunciation (say and do):
These verbs from the list above are spelled the same in the simple past as in the present tense (excluding compounds such as set, beset, inset, upset etc.): beat, bet, burst, cast, cost, cut, hit, hurt, let, put, quit, read, rid, set, shed, shut, slit, split, spread. (Note that of all the preceding, only "read" is pronounced differently in the past tense from the present tense.)