be
IPA: /biː/
- Infinitive
- be
- Past Simple
- was/were
- Participle II
- been
to exist or describe a state, identity or quality
English vocabulary by topic
Essential English irregular verbs
Three forms of the most useful verbs, shown together with meanings and infinitive pronunciation.
Go to the wordsHow the three forms work
Use the first form after to and in the present simple, the second form for the past simple, and the third with have in perfect tenses or be in passive structures. For example: I go, I went, I have gone.
Do not force the whole list into one study session. Start with small pattern groups: bring — brought — brought and buy — bought — bought; make — made — made and have — had — had. Repeated shapes make the forms easier to retrieve.
Vocabulary
Words in this topic
Use the speaker icon to hear each word in British English.
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begin
IPA: /bɪˈɡɪn/
- Infinitive
- begin
- Past Simple
- began
- Participle II
- begun
to start doing or happening
-
bring
IPA: /brɪŋ/
- Infinitive
- bring
- Past Simple
- brought
- Participle II
- brought
to take someone or something to a place
-
buy
IPA: /baɪ/
- Infinitive
- buy
- Past Simple
- bought
- Participle II
- bought
to get something by paying for it
-
come
IPA: /kʌm/
- Infinitive
- come
- Past Simple
- came
- Participle II
- come
to move towards the speaker or a particular place
-
do
IPA: /duː/
- Infinitive
- do
- Past Simple
- did
- Participle II
- done
to perform an action, task or activity
-
give
IPA: /ɡɪv/
- Infinitive
- give
- Past Simple
- gave
- Participle II
- given
to hand, provide or offer something to someone
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go
IPA: /ɡəʊ/
- Infinitive
- go
- Past Simple
- went
- Participle II
- gone
to move or travel away from one place
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have
IPA: /hæv/
- Infinitive
- have
- Past Simple
- had
- Participle II
- had
to own, contain or experience something
-
make
IPA: /meɪk/
- Infinitive
- make
- Past Simple
- made
- Participle II
- made
to create, produce or cause something
-
see
IPA: /siː/
- Infinitive
- see
- Past Simple
- saw
- Participle II
- seen
to notice someone or something with your eyes
-
take
IPA: /teɪk/
- Infinitive
- take
- Past Simple
- took
- Participle II
- taken
to move or carry something with you
01
How to remember these words
- Say each set as one rhythmic unit: take — took — taken.
- Make a short personal example for every form: I go, I went, I have gone.
- Review similar patterns together, while marking forms that stay the same.
02
Useful phrases
We went home early.
She has brought the keys.
I bought it yesterday.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Why are these verbs called irregular?
They do not form the past simple and past participle with the usual -ed ending. Their forms change in other ways and need to be learned separately.
How is the past simple different from the past participle?
The past simple can describe a completed past event on its own: I saw him. A past participle works with an auxiliary verb: I have seen him.
Should I learn irregular verbs alphabetically?
Not necessarily. Grouping similar patterns or verbs used in the same situation is often easier, especially when you put them into short sentences.
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