English Irregular Verbs



There are many Irregular Verbs in English which do not conform to the pattern. The principal parts of the English verb are the base form, the simple past, and the past participle. For regular verbs, the simple past and the past participle are spelled the same and are created by adding ed to the base form. However, there are many irregular verbs in English which do not conform to this pattern.

The additional forms of the verb in English are the s form (3rd person singular present), and the present participle, which is created by adding ing to the base form. There are no irregular forms of the present participle, so the spelling of any verb will adhere to the rules of spelling for regular inflection.

A comprehensive list of 619 English irregular verbs, including their base form, past simple, past participle and definitions is here below.



Base Form Past Simple Past Participle Definition
Backbite Backbit Backbitten To speak badly about someone
Backfit Backfit Backfit To fit new parts into an older machine that weren't available when the machine was made
Backlight Backlit Backlit To illuminate from behind (photography)
Backslide Backslid Backslid/Backslidden To stop making progress and start regressing
Be Was/Were Been To exist, live or occur.
To have as a quality or a state
An auxiliary verb
Bear Bore Born/Borne To carry
To tolerate
To give birth to
Beat Beat Beaten To hit repeatedly
Become Became Become To come into existence
Bedight Bedight/Bedighted Bedight/Bedighted To adorn, decorate
Befall Befell Befallen To happen
To happen to somebody or something
Beget Begot/Begat Begotten To cause something to happen
To procreate
Begin Began Begun To start something
Begird Begirt/Begirded Begirt To encircle
Behight Behight Behight/Behoten To promise or vow
To order
Behold Beheld Beheld To become conscious of by seeing
Belay Belaid/Belayed Belaid/Belayed To secure a boat with a rope
To tie up
Bend Bent Bent To curve something by distorting its shape
Bereave Bereft Bereft/Bereaved To lose a relative through their death
To deprive
Beseech Besought/Beseeched Besought/Beseeched To ask someone very insistently to do something
Beset Beset Beset To be restricted and occupied by difficulties
Bespeak Bespoke Bespoken To be a signal or symbol of something

To set aside or reserve something

To ask for
Bestrew Bestrewed Bestrewed/Bestrewn To cover a surface by throwing things about randomly
Bestride Bestrode Bestridden To sit or stand with one leg on either side of something
Bet Bet Bet To risk money against the result of a future event
Betake Betook Betaken To go to a place
Bethink Bethought Bethought To think about something
To remind yourself
Beweep Bewept Bewept To cry for or over someone or something
Bid Bid Bid To make an offer of money or services
Bid Bade Bidden To command or urge someone to do something
Bide Bided/Bode Bided To wait for
To tolerate
To withstand
Bind Bound Bound To tie something with string, or similar, to hold it
Bite Bit Bitten To cut or hold with teeth
Blaw Blawed Blawn To blow
Bleed Bled Bled To lose blood through a cut in the skin
Blend Blended/Blent Blended/Blent To mix together
Bless Blessed/Blest Blessed/Blest To wish or confer happiness
To make holy
Blow Blew Blown To move air, wind and gases
Bottle-feed Bottle-fed Bottle-fed To feed a baby with a bottle
Bowstring Bowstrung/Bowstringed Bowstrung To strangle with the string from a bow
Break Broke Broken To cause something to separate into at least two pieces
Breast-feed Breast-fed Breast-fed To feed a baby with breast milk
Breed Bred Bred To produce animals or plants by controlling their reproduction
Bring Brought Brought To carry or convey something to the place where you are going
Broadcast Broadcast/Broadcasted Broadcast/Broadcasted To transmit radio or TV signals
Browbeat Browbeat Browbeat/Browbeaten To put pressure on someone or bully them to do something
Build Built Built To construct
Burn Burnt/Burned Burnt/Burned To consume or be consumed by fire
Burst Burst Burst To break something open, usually by internal pressure, such as a balloon with too much air in it
Bust Bust Bust To break
Buy Bought Bought To acquire something in exchange for money




English Irregular Verbs Index



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