The Verb "Give" in English

Conjugation of "To Give"

The verb "give" is an irregular verb. (This means that "give" 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 Give"

FormgiveAlternative Name
Base FormgiveInfinitive Form
The -S FormgivesThird Person Singular Form
Past FormgaveSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormgivingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formgiven[no alternative name]
the verb to give in English

Example Sentences with To Give

It's your go. Select the correct version of "to give":

"To Give" in All the Tenses

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

This page was written by Craig Shrives.