The Verb "Dig" in English

Conjugation of "To Dig"

The verb "dig" is an irregular verb. (This means that "dig" does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.)

The Five Forms of "To Dig"

FormdigAlternative Name
Base FormdigInfinitive Form
The -S FormdigsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormdugSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormdiggingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formdug[no alternative name]

"To Dig" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "dig" conjugates in the past, present, and future tenses.

Past Tenses

PersonSimple PastPast Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • dug
  • dug
  • dug
  • dug
  • dug
  • dug
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was digging
  • were digging
  • was digging
  • were digging
  • were digging
  • were digging
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had dug
  • had dug
  • had dug
  • had dug
  • had dug
  • had dug
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been digging
  • had been digging
  • had been digging
  • had been digging
  • had been digging
  • had been digging
The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

PersonSimple PresentPresent Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • dig
  • dig
  • digs
  • dig
  • dig
  • dig
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am digging
  • are digging
  • is digging
  • are digging
  • are digging
  • are digging
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have dug
  • have dug
  • has dug
  • have dug
  • have dug
  • have dug
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been digging
  • have been digging
  • has been digging
  • have been digging
  • have been digging
  • have been digging
The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

PersonSimple FutureFuture Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • will dig
  • will dig
  • will dig
  • will dig
  • will dig
  • will dig
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be digging
  • will be digging
  • will be digging
  • will be digging
  • will be digging
  • will be digging
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have dug
  • will have dug
  • will have dug
  • will have dug
  • will have dug
  • will have dug
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been digging
  • will have been digging
  • will have been digging
  • will have been digging
  • will have been digging
  • will have been digging
The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.