Burst past tense: burst, burst
break open suddenly
Burst is an irregular English verb: the past simple of burst is burst and the past participle is burst. Learn the three forms together — burst – burst – burst.
Verb forms
Base form
/bɜːst/
Past Simple
/bɜːst/
Past Participle
/bɜːst/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · burst
Balloons burst if you blow them up too much.
Past Simple · burst
The pipe burst during the cold snap.
Past Participle · burst
The dam has burst after weeks of heavy rain.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I burst he / she / it bursts | I burst | I have burst |
| Present Continuous:I am bursting · he / she / it is bursting | ||
Grammar guide
Burst belongs to the AAA group: all three forms are the same (burst – burst – burst). As the verb never changes, the context shows the tense — an auxiliary such as have or had, or a time expression such as yesterday.
- Past simple – burst: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – burst: after have, has or had (present perfect, past perfect) and after be in the passive voice.
- Questions and negatives in the past simple use did + the base form: Did you burst…? I didn’t burst.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about burst
- What is the past simple of burst?
- The past simple of burst is burst.
- What is the past participle of burst?
- The past participle of burst is burst.
- What are the three forms of burst?
- The three forms are burst – burst – burst: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is burst a regular or an irregular verb?
- Burst is irregular: its past simple is burst, not bursted.