The Verb "Foresee" in English

Conjugation of "To Foresee"

The verb "foresee" is an irregular verb. (This means that "foresee" 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 Foresee"

FormforeseeAlternative Name
Base FormforeseeInfinitive Form
The -S FormforeseesThird Person Singular Form
Past FormforesawSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormforeseeingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formforeseen[no alternative name]

"To Foresee" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "foresee" 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
  • foresaw
  • foresaw
  • foresaw
  • foresaw
  • foresaw
  • foresaw
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was foreseeing
  • were foreseeing
  • was foreseeing
  • were foreseeing
  • were foreseeing
  • were foreseeing
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had foreseen
  • had foreseen
  • had foreseen
  • had foreseen
  • had foreseen
  • had foreseen
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been foreseeing
  • had been foreseeing
  • had been foreseeing
  • had been foreseeing
  • had been foreseeing
  • had been foreseeing
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
  • foresee
  • foresee
  • foresees
  • foresee
  • foresee
  • foresee
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am foreseeing
  • are foreseeing
  • is foreseeing
  • are foreseeing
  • are foreseeing
  • are foreseeing
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have foreseen
  • have foreseen
  • has foreseen
  • have foreseen
  • have foreseen
  • have foreseen
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been foreseeing
  • have been foreseeing
  • has been foreseeing
  • have been foreseeing
  • have been foreseeing
  • have been foreseeing
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 foresee
  • will foresee
  • will foresee
  • will foresee
  • will foresee
  • will foresee
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be foreseeing
  • will be foreseeing
  • will be foreseeing
  • will be foreseeing
  • will be foreseeing
  • will be foreseeing
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have foreseen
  • will have foreseen
  • will have foreseen
  • will have foreseen
  • will have foreseen
  • will have foreseen
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been foreseeing
  • will have been foreseeing
  • will have been foreseeing
  • will have been foreseeing
  • will have been foreseeing
  • will have been foreseeing
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.