List of English irregular verbs

This is a list of irregular verbs in the English language. The citation form (the infinitive) comes first (with a link to the Wiktionary article on the verb), together with the present tense forms when they are different, then the preterite or simple past, and finally the past participle. The right hand column notes whether they are weak or strong and whether they belong 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).

It should be noted that many of these verbs are irregular in British or American English only; in many cases, 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, also dove and snuck in the U.S.); Australian English tends to follow British practice, while Canadian English often sides with American usage. See further at American and British English differences. In this table, the preferred or more common usage is generally listed first, though for some words usage is nearly equal for both choices.

verb forms	verb class and notes
abide abided/abode abided/*abidden	Strong, class 1
arise arose arisen	Strong, class 1
awake awoke awoken	Strong, class 6
be † was been	Suppletive. See: Indo-European copula.
bear bore born/borne	Strong, class 4
beat beat beaten/beat	Strong, class 7
become became become	Strong, class 4
befall befell befallen	Strong, class 7
beget begot/begat begotten	Strong, class 5
begin began begun	Strong, class 3
behold beheld beheld	Strong, class 7
bend bent/bended bent/bended	Weak with assimilation of dentals
bereave bereaved/bereft bereaved/bereft	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
beseech besought/beseeched besought/beseeched	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
beset beset beset	Weak with assimilation of dentals
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	Strong, class 3
bite bit bitten	Strong, class 1
bleed bled bled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
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	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
broadcast broadcast broadcast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
browbeat browbeat browbeaten	Strong, class 7
build built built	Weak with assimilation of dentals
burn burned/burnt burnt/burned	Weak
burst burst/bursted/ burst/bursted	Strong, class 3
buy bought bought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
can could (none)	Preterite-present
cast cast cast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
catch caught caught	Weak - a French loanword conjugated perhaps by analogy with teach-taught
choose chose chosen	Strong, class 2
cleave(split apart) clove cloven/cleft	Strong, class 2
*clepe clept/cleped clept/cleped	Weak with assimilation of dentals
cleave(cling to) cleft/cleaved cleft/cleaved	Weak with vowel reduction
cling clang/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 crept	Strong, class 2
cut cut cut	Weak with assimilation of dentals
deal dealt dealt	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
dig dug dug
dive dived/dove dived	Strong, class 2
do † did done	Reduplication with p.p. 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 assimilation of dentals
drink drank/drunk drank/drunk/drunken	Strong, class 3
drive drove driven	Strong, class 1
dwell dwelt/dwelled dwelt/dwelled	Weak with assimilation of dentals
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 assimilation of dentals
fight fought fought	Strong, class 3
find found found	Strong, class 3
fit fit/fitted fit/fitted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
flee fled fled	Strong, class 2
fling flung flung	Strong, class 3
fly flew flown	Strong, class 2
forbid forbad/forbade/forbid forbid/forbidden	Strong, class 5
forecast forecast forecast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
forego forewent foregone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
forgo forwent forgone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
foresee foresaw foreseen	Strong, class 5
foretell foretold foretold	Weak with Rückumlaut
forget forgot forgotten	Strong, class 5
forgive forgave forgiven	Strong, class 5
forsake forsook forsaken	Strong, class 6
forswear forswore forsworn	Strong, class 6
freeze froze frozen	Strong, class 2
gainsay gainsaid gainsaid	Weak
get got gotten/got	Strong, class 5
gird girt/girded girt/girded	Weak with assimilation of dentals
give gave given	Strong, class 5
go went gone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
grave grove/graved graven/graved	Strong, class 6
grind ground/grinded ground	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./p.p. spring from O.E. haefd
hear heard heard	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
hew hew/hewed hewn/hewed	Strong, class 7
hide hid hid/hidden	Weak vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
hit hit hit	Weak with assimilation of dentals
hold held held	Strong, class 7
hurt hurt hurt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
input input input	Weak with assimilation of dentals
inset inset inset	Weak with assimilation of dentals
interbreed interbred interbred	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
interweave interwove interwoven	Strong, class 7
keep kept kept	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
kneel knelt/kneeled knelt/kneeled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
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
leap leaped/leapt leaped/leapt	Strong, class 7
learn learned/learnt learned/learnt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
leave left left	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
lose lost lost	Strong, class 2
lend lent lent	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
let (allow) let let	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
make made made	Weak contraction of "maked"
may might	Preterite-present
mean meant meant	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
meet met met	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
melt melted/*molt melted/*molten	Strong, class 3
mishear misheard misheard	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
mislay mislaid mislaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
mislead misled misled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
misread misread misread	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
misshape misshaped misshaped/misshapen	Strong, class 6
misspell misspelled/misspelt misspelled/misspelt	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
mistake mistook mistaken	Strong, class 6
misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood	Strong, class 6
mow mowed mowed/mown	Strong, class 7
*naysay naysaid naysaid	Weak
outbid outbid outbid	Weak with assimilation of dentals
outdo outdid outdone
outgrow outgrew outgrown	Strong, class 7
outrun outran outrun	Strong, class 3
outsell outsold outsold	Weak with Rückumlaut
overcast overcast overcast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
overcome overcame overcome	Strong, class 4
overdo overdid overdone	Reduplication with past participle springing from Old English "gedon"
overdraw overdrew overdrawn	Strong, class 6
overeat overate overeaten	Strong, class 5
overhang overhung/overhanged overhung/overhanged	Preterite-present
overhear overheard overheard	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
overlay overlaid overlaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
overlie overlay overlain	Strong, class 5
overpay overpaid overpaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
override overrode overridden	Strong, class 1
overrun overran overrun	Strong, class 3
oversee oversaw overseen	Strong, class 5
oversell oversold oversold	Weak with Rückumlaut
overset overset overset	Weak
overshoot overshot overshot	Strong, class 2
oversleep overslept overslept	Strong, class 7
overtake overtook overtaken	Strong, class 6
overthrow overthrew overthrown	Strong, class 7
partake partook partaken	Strong, class 6
pay paid paid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
plead pleaded/pled pleaded/pled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
proofread proofread proofread	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
prove proved proved/proven	borrowed French verb
put put put	Weak with assimilation of dentals
*queath or quethe quoth quoth/quethen	Strong, class 5
quit quit quit	Weak with assimilation of dentals
read read read	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
*reave reft reft	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
rebuild rebuilt rebuilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
recast recast recast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
rend rent rent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
redo redid redone	Reduplication with p.p. springing from OE "gedon"
re-lay re-laid re-laid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
remake remade remade	Weak wih assimilation of dentals
repay repaid repaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
rerun reran rerun	Strong, class 3
resell resold resold	Weak with Rückumlaut
reset reset reset	Weak with assimilation of dentals
rethink rethought rethought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
rewind rewound rewound	Strong, class 3
rewrite rewrote rewritten	Strong, class 1
rid rid/ridded rid/ridden/ridded
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
saw sawed sawed/sawn
*sake sook saken	Strong, class 6
say † said said	Weak
see saw seen	Strong, class 5
seek sought sought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
sell sold sold	Weak with Rückumlaut
send sent sent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
set set set	Weak
sew sewed sewed/sewn
shake shook shaken	Strong, class 6
shall should (none)	Preterite-present; defective; see also Shall and will
shave shove/shaved shaven/shaved	Strong, class 6
shear shore/sheared shorn/sheared	Strong, class 4
shed shed/shedded shed/shedded	Strong, class 7
shine shined/shone shined/shone	Strong, class 1
shit shit/shat/shitted shit/shat/shitted	Strong, class 1;
shite shit/shat shit/shat/shitten	Strong, class 1
shoe shoed/shod shoed/shod/shodden	Weak with vowel reduction
shoot shot shot	Strong, class 2
show showed/shew shown/showed	Weak, with 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
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	Strong, class 7
slide slid slid/slidden	Strong, class 1
sling slang/slung slung	Strong, class 3
slink slunk slunk	Strong, class 3
slit slit slit	Strong, class 1
smell smelled/smelt smelled/smelt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
smite smote/smit smitten	Strong, class 1
sneak sneaked/snuck sneaked/snuck	Weak with naturally developing strong form
sow sowed/sew sowed/sown	Strong, class 7
speak spoke spoken	Strong, class 5
speed sped/speeded sped/speeded	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
spell spelled/spelt spelled/spelt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spend spent spent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spill spilled/spilt spilled/spilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spin span/spun spun	strong, class 3
spit spit/spat spit
split split split	Weak with assimilatin of dentals
spoil spoiled/spoilt spoiled/spoilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spread spread spread	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spring sprang/sprung sprung	Strong, class 3
stand stood stood	Strong, class 6
steal stole stolen	Strong, class 4
stick stuck stuck
sting stang/stung stung	Strong, class 3
stink stank/stunk stunk	Strong, class 3
strew strew/strewed strewn/strewed
stride strode/strided stridden/strided	Strong, class 1
strike struck stricken/struck	Strong, class 1
string strang/strung strung	Weak with naturally developing strong form
strive strove/strived striven/strived	Strong, class 1
swear swore sworn	Strong, class 6
sweep swept swept	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
swell swelled/swoll swelled/swollen	Strong, class 3
*swelt swolt/swelted swolten/swelted	Strong, class 3
swim swam swam/swum	Strong, class 3
swing swang/swung swung	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
throw threw thrown	Strong, class 7
thrust thrust/thrusted thrust/thrusted
tread trod trodden/trod	Strong, class 5
unbind unbound unbound	Strong, class 3
undergo underwent undergone
underlie underlay underlain	Strong, class 5
understand understood understood	Strong, class 6
undertake undertook undertaken	Strong, class 6
underwrite underwrote underwritten	Strong, class 1
undo undid undone	Reduplication with p.p. springing from OE "gedon"
unwind unwound unwound	Strong, class 3
uphold upheld upheld	Strong, class 7
upset upset/upsetted upset/upsetted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
wake woke woken	Strong, class 6
wax waxed waxed/waxen	Strong, class 7
waylay waylaid waylaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
wear wore worn	Weak with strong form based on "bear"
weave weaved/wove/*weft woven/*weft	Strong, class 7
wed wed/wedded wed/wedded	Weak with assimilation of dentals
weep wept wept	Strong, class 7
wend wended/went wended/went	weak with assimilation of dentals
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
*wit wist wist	Preterite-present verb
withdraw withdrew withdrawn	Strong, class 6
withhold withheld withheld	Strong, class 7
withstand withstood withstood	Strong, class 6
work worked/wrought worked/wrought	Weak with Rückumlaut and metathesis of r and o
*worth worth worth/worthen	Strong, class 3
wring wrang/wrung wrung	Strong, class 3
write wrote/*writ written	Strong, class 1
writhe writhed/*wrothe writhed/*writhen	Strong, class 1

Present tense irregular verbs

(†) 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 verbs like "shall" and "can" that do not inflect at all in the present tense, there are only four:

• have: I have, you have, he has, we have, they have.
• say (and compounds such as "gainsay" and "naysay"): I say, you say, he says, we say, they say where "says" is pronounced sɛz or sɛs in contrast to seɪ, the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms.
• do (and compounds such as "undo" and "redo"): I do, you do, he does, we do, they do where "does" is pronounced dəz in contrast to du, the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms.
• be: I am, you are, he is, we are, they are; in addition, the preterite forms are irregular: I was, you were, he was, we were, they were.

Additional note

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.)

It should also be noted that there are some differences between U.S. and British usage, for instance the form "snuck" is not used in British English.

See also: Wiktionary Appendix:Irregular Verbs or the Category:English_irregular_verbs.

External links

• Mind Our English: Strong and weak by Ralph Berry
• English:Verbs, wikibook
• English Irregular Verb List A comprehensive list of English irregular verbs, including their base form, past simple, past participle, 3rd person singular, and the present participle / gerund.
• TheIrregularVerbs All the irregular verbs of the English language. Conjugation, pronunciation, translation and examples.
• verbbusters Searchable reference of English irregular verbs and cognates, with audio.