Know past tense: knew, known
be aware of
Know is an irregular English verb: the past simple of know is knew and the past participle is known. Learn the three forms together — know – knew – known.
Verb forms
Base form
/nəʊ/
Past Simple
/njuː/
Past Participle
/nəʊn/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · know
I know the answer to that question.
Past Simple · knew
She knew immediately that something was wrong.
Past Participle · known
I have known him since we were children.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I know he / she / it knows | I knew | I have known |
| Present Continuous:I am knowing · he / she / it is knowing | ||
Common collocations
know by heart
to have memorised completely
know better
to be wise enough to avoid a mistake
Grammar guide
Know belongs to the ABC group: all three forms are different (know – knew – known), so each form has to be learnt separately.
- Past simple – knew: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – known: 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 know…? I didn’t know.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about know
- What is the past simple of know?
- The past simple of know is knew.
- What is the past participle of know?
- The past participle of know is known.
- What are the three forms of know?
- The three forms are know – knew – known: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is know a regular or an irregular verb?
- Know is irregular: its past simple is knew, not knowed.