Mistake past tense: mistook, mistaken
confuse, err
Mistake is an irregular English verb: the past simple of mistake is mistook and the past participle is mistaken. Learn the three forms together — mistake – mistook – mistaken.
Verb forms
Base form
/mɪˈsteɪk/
Past Simple
/mɪˈstʊk/
Past Participle
/mɪˈsteɪkən/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · mistake
People often mistake me for my twin brother.
Past Simple · mistook
I mistook the salt for sugar this morning.
Past Participle · mistaken
She is often mistaken for a famous actress.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I mistake he / she / it mistakes | I mistook | I have mistaken |
| Present Continuous:I am mistaking · he / she / it is mistaking | ||
Grammar guide
Mistake belongs to the ABC group: all three forms are different (mistake – mistook – mistaken), so each form has to be learnt separately.
- Past simple – mistook: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – mistaken: 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 mistake…? I didn’t mistake.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about mistake
- What is the past simple of mistake?
- The past simple of mistake is mistook.
- What is the past participle of mistake?
- The past participle of mistake is mistaken.
- What are the three forms of mistake?
- The three forms are mistake – mistook – mistaken: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is mistake a regular or an irregular verb?
- Mistake is irregular: its past simple is mistook, not mistaked.