120+ Irregular English Verbs
Full table with three forms and translation. Search, filter, and practise.
| Base form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
/biː/ | was/were | been | exist, occur |
/hæv/ | had | had | possess, own |
/duː/ | did | done | perform an action |
/seɪ/ | said | said | utter words |
/ɡet/ | got | got/gotten | obtain, receive |
/meɪk/ | made | made | create, produce |
/ɡoʊ/ | went | gone | move, travel |
/noʊ/ | knew | known | be aware of |
/teɪk/ | took | taken | grasp, accept |
/siː/ | saw | seen | perceive with eyes |
/kʌm/ | came | come | arrive, approach |
/θɪŋk/ | thought | thought | use the mind |
/ɡɪv/ | gave | given | transfer, donate |
/faɪnd/ | found | found | discover, locate |
/tel/ | told | told | communicate, narrate |
/bɪˈkʌm/ | became | become | begin to be |
/liːv/ | left | left | depart, abandon |
/fiːl/ | felt | felt | experience emotion |
/brɪŋ/ | brought | brought | carry to a place |
/bɪˈɡɪn/ | began | begun | start, commence |
/kiːp/ | kept | kept | retain, continue |
/hoʊld/ | held | held | grasp, contain |
/raɪt/ | wrote | written | form letters |
/stænd/ | stood | stood | be upright |
/hɪər/ | heard | heard | perceive sound |
/let/ | let | let | allow, permit |
/miːn/ | meant | meant | intend, signify |
/set/ | set | set | place, establish |
/miːt/ | met | met | encounter, gather |
/rʌn/ | ran | run | move quickly, manage |
/peɪ/ | paid | paid | give money for |
/sɪt/ | sat | sat | rest on a seat |
/spiːk/ | spoke | spoken | talk, articulate |
/laɪ/ | lay | lain | rest horizontally |
/liːd/ | led | led | guide, direct |
/riːd/ | read | read | interpret text |
/ɡroʊ/ | grew | grown | increase in size |
/luːz/ | lost | lost | fail to keep, misplace |
/fɔːl/ | fell | fallen | drop down |
/send/ | sent | sent | dispatch |
/bɪld/ | built | built | construct |
/ˌʌndərˈstænd/ | understood | understood | comprehend |
/drɔː/ | drew | drawn | sketch, pull |
/breɪk/ | broke | broken | shatter, fracture |
/spend/ | spent | spent | use up, expend |
/kʌt/ | cut | cut | divide with blade |
/raɪz/ | rose | risen | go up |
/draɪv/ | drove | driven | operate a vehicle |
/baɪ/ | bought | bought | purchase |
/weər/ | wore | worn | carry on body |
/tʃuːz/ | chose | chosen | select, pick |
/wɪn/ | won | won | be victorious |
/tiːtʃ/ | taught | taught | instruct |
/θroʊ/ | threw | thrown | propel through air |
/kætʃ/ | caught | caught | seize, capture |
/sel/ | sold | sold | exchange for money |
/flaɪ/ | flew | flown | move through air |
/faɪt/ | fought | fought | engage in combat |
/drɪŋk/ | drank | drunk | swallow liquid |
/iːt/ | ate | eaten | consume food |
/sɪŋ/ | sang | sung | make musical sounds |
/swɪm/ | swam | swum | move through water |
/raɪd/ | rode | ridden | travel on/in |
/rɪŋ/ | rang | rung | make bell sound, call |
/sliːp/ | slept | slept | rest unconscious |
/ʃeɪk/ | shook | shaken | tremble, oscillate |
/friːz/ | froze | frozen | turn to ice |
/fɪt/ | fit | fit | be the right size |
/hɪt/ | hit | hit | strike, impact |
/hɜːrt/ | hurt | hurt | cause pain |
/bɜːrn/ | burnt | burnt | be on fire |
/lend/ | lent | lent | give temporarily |
/leɪ/ | laid | laid | place down |
/kɒst/ | cost | cost | have a price |
/ʃʌt/ | shut | shut | close |
/spred/ | spread | spread | extend over an area |
/ʃaɪn/ | shone | shone | give off light |
/stɪk/ | stuck | stuck | adhere, become fixed |
/fiːd/ | fed | fed | give food to |
/haɪd/ | hid | hidden | conceal |
/bloʊ/ | blew | blown | produce air current |
/fərˈɡet/ | forgot | forgotten | fail to remember |
/fərˈɡɪv/ | forgave | forgiven | stop being angry |
/teər/ | tore | torn | rip apart |
/baɪt/ | bit | bitten | cut with teeth |
/dɪɡ/ | dug | dug | make a hole |
/hæŋ/ | hung | hung | suspend |
/ʃuːt/ | shot | shot | fire a weapon |
/swɪŋ/ | swung | swung | move back and forth |
/weɪk/ | woke | woken | stop sleeping |
/wiːp/ | wept | wept | cry |
/kriːp/ | crept | crept | move slowly, sneak |
/diːl/ | dealt | dealt | distribute, handle |
/əˈraɪz/ | arose | arisen | come up, occur |
/əˈweɪk/ | awoke | awoken | wake from sleep |
/beər/ | bore | borne | endure, carry |
/biːt/ | beat | beaten | strike repeatedly, defeat |
/bend/ | bent | bent | curve, flex |
/bet/ | bet | bet | wager |
/baɪnd/ | bound | bound | tie together |
/bliːd/ | bled | bled | lose blood |
/briːd/ | bred | bred | produce offspring |
/ˈbrɔːdkæst/ | broadcast | broadcast | transmit publicly |
/bɜːrst/ | burst | burst | break open suddenly |
/kɑːst/ | cast | cast | throw, project |
/klɪŋ/ | clung | clung | hold tightly |
/daɪv/ | dived/dove | dived | plunge into water |
/driːm/ | dreamt | dreamt | have visions in sleep |
/fliː/ | fled | fled | run away |
/flɪŋ/ | flung | flung | throw violently |
/fərˈbɪd/ | forbade | forbidden | prohibit |
/ɡraɪnd/ | ground | ground | crush into powder |
/niːl/ | knelt | knelt | rest on knees |
/liːn/ | leant | leant | tilt, rest against |
/liːp/ | leapt | leapt | jump |
/leɪ/ | laid | laid | lay down |
/laɪt/ | lit | lit | illuminate, ignite |
/mɪˈsteɪk/ | mistook | mistaken | confuse, err |
/ˌoʊvərˈkʌm/ | overcame | overcome | defeat, surmount |
/pruːv/ | proved | proven | demonstrate truth |
/kwɪt/ | quit | quit | leave, give up |
/rɪd/ | rid | rid | eliminate |
/siːk/ | sought | sought | search for |
/ʃrɪŋk/ | shrank | shrunk | become smaller |
/slaɪd/ | slid | slid | glide |
/slɪt/ | slit | slit | make a thin cut |
/spel/ | spelt | spelt | name letters of |
/spɪl/ | spilt | spilt | let liquid escape |
/spɪt/ | spat | spat | expel from mouth |
/splɪt/ | split | split | divide into parts |
/spɔɪl/ | spoilt | spoilt | ruin, indulge |
/stɪŋk/ | stank | stunk | smell badly |
/straɪd/ | strode | stridden | walk with long steps |
/straɪk/ | struck | struck | hit, refuse to work |
/sweər/ | swore | sworn | vow, curse |
/swiːp/ | swept | swept | clean with broom |
/wiːv/ | wove | woven | interlace threads |
/wɪðˈdrɔː/ | withdrew | withdrawn | remove, retreat |
/rɪŋ/ | wrung | wrung | twist out liquid |
Frequently asked questions
How many irregular verbs are there in English?
There are around 200 irregular verbs in modern English, but most of them are rare. This table covers 139 verbs that you will actually meet in everyday speech, books and exams — enough for confident communication at any level.
What are the three forms of an irregular verb?
Each entry shows the base form (go), the past simple (went) and the past participle (gone). The base form is used for the present and infinitive, the past simple for finished actions, and the past participle for perfect tenses and the passive voice.
Why do some verbs have two variants, like got and gotten?
British and American English sometimes use different forms. For example, the past participle of "get" is "got" in British English but usually "gotten" in American English. Both variants are shown in the table — choose the one that matches the dialect you are learning.
What is the fastest way to memorise irregular verbs?
Learn them in small groups with similar patterns (sing–sang–sung, ring–rang–rung), listen to the pronunciation, and test yourself regularly. Our built-in test shuffles the verbs and tracks what you already know, which is far more effective than re-reading the list.
Do any irregular verbs stay the same in all three forms?
Yes — verbs like put, cut, cost, hit and shut do not change at all: put–put–put. They are some of the easiest to remember, but be careful not to add -ed to them by habit.
What is the difference between the past simple and the past participle?
The past simple is a stand-alone tense for finished actions (I saw the film yesterday). The past participle never works alone — it follows have, has, had or be: I have seen the film, the film was seen by millions.